Since I Saw Her Standing There
by ThatOCLady
Summary: A re-imagined sequel to my story The Living Yurei. This is through and through an AU story and it won't make much sense to you unless you read the prequel. Warning: Rated T for sexual scenes. OC characters in abundance. PS: Ryo and Kaori will only make guest appearances once in a while. If you are not interested in a story that is not focused on them, read this at your own peril.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Greetings, one and all! Before you pick up those stink-bombs to throw at me, let me apologise. I am sorry for not writing any more _Hayate the Combat Butler_ fanfics. I am also sorry for not writing another _City Hunter_ fanfic in months. And I half-heartedly apologise for writing this **A** nother **U** niverse sequel to _**The Living Yurei: Reunion is Her Only Salvation**_. What could I do?! The story wouldn't get out of my head! I had to put it down on paper or go mad. Surely, you don't blame me for choosing sanity over propriety.  
So, this is a re-imagined sequel to _The Living Yurei_. I am not sure if any of you will like it. But I had to write it nonetheless. Let's hope you enjoy reading it. Also, whether I will be publishing the next chapter or not depends on your feedback. So, review away! Please. Seriously, tell me what you think of it.

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters, nor do I own any of the songs mentioned here. Except for the canon characters from _City Hunter_ in this chapter, all the rest are of my creation.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 1**

"Ma, I tried. It's not my fault. Please"  
Maya Nogawa's ghost eyed her daughter with a look filled to the core with contempt, disappointment and shame. She stood next to the burning pyre on which her husband's corpse lay.  
"Ma, please. Don't look at me like that. I tried! I swear to you – "  
Her precious Ma had already leaped into the pyre.  
"Ma!"  
 _'The widows were forced to sacrifice themselves onto their husband's pyre. Sati, they called it'  
'Good things are going to happen to us, Saki. Kaori's birthday this year will bring us a lifetime of joys'_  
 **"MAAA!"**  
The breath left Saki Nogawa's body and the echo of her scream seemed to bring it back. She heaved and held her throbbing temples in her hands, struggling to breathe again.  
 _'I am here. I am here. It was a dream, only a dream'_  
It was a nightmare. Saki struggled to get to her feet, reminding herself that it was just a dream, that Ma had never become a _sati_ , that Ma had never despised her for being alive even though the one she loved was dead, that Ma herself had been dead for more than two decades.  
 _'It was a dream'_  
With trembling hands, she opened the bottle and the pills scattered on the floor. Sighing and grumbling and reminding herself it was just a dream, Saki gathered the pills one by one and refilled the bottle.  
"When you think that you can't take it anymore, take one pill, just one", her doctor had warned her.  
Saki thrust that one pill in her mouth, its bitter taste thickening on her tongue, and walked to the kitchen. She had forgotten again to keep a tumbler of water at her bedside.  
 _'It was just a dream'_  
It was her first pill in three months. Dr. Kimura would be proud.  
"They think you are unfit to be around children because of these pills you take, Saki"  
Well, why don't they try surviving the death of everyone they love by feasting on dew drops and air? And who had prescribed the pills anyway, Dr. Kimura?  
"You have had a nervous breakdown. I had to prescribe this medication. We'll get over the addiction soon enough. I am not giving up on you"  
She would have never gone to the psychiatrist were it not for Kenji. He had said she needed help and constant attendance. _Boohoo_ , Kenji, she had survived four months without you or anyone.

It began at Sofu's funeral, she supposed. The people could not help but talk how tragic it was that the old man expired just a month after his wife's death. They would not shut up. Kenji had taken the responsibility of the funeral on his young shoulders, the same way he had done for Sobo's. Saki remembered sitting on a chair, surrounded by her friends. Kenji had come to her,  
"Sensei, the priests haven't arrived yet. Have you seen them?"  
She recalled,  
"No. They were going to be late. I sent Hideyuki-san to fetch them. They should have been here an hour ago"  
Aimi and Kenji had looked at her like she had said something terrible. She would not forget that pitiful and horrified look for as long as she lived.  
"What did I say?"  
She caught the sight of a body covered in white clothing on the unlit pyre.  
"Kenji, whose funeral is this?"  
Her friends had spent the week after trying to coax her into seeing a doctor. She stoutly denied that she was unwell and that she needed to see a psychiatrist. After they had left, Kenji had sat by her for a long time. She supposed it was his turn to talk her into accepting that she had a disease, but he simply reminisced with her about the olden days.  
"Sensei, you should come with me"  
"To where?", she had asked.  
"To the base. There are many sailors who live with their family"  
"Technically, I am not your family, remember?"  
"Then let's get married"  
She remembered glaring at him as if he had insulted her with the worst expression one could use against a person. He seemed unmoved and quite resolute.  
"Are you out of your mind?"  
"No. You can live with me then. I can look after you. I don't have to come here often and get barked at by my superiors about the unreasonable amount of emergency holidays I ask for"  
"You don't have to come here, Kenji. I never ask you to"  
He had said in the same voice, as if she were not walking away but was still sitting next to him,  
"I will come whether you ask me or not"  
She knew he would. After a long and humiliating confrontation with her own mental state, Saki Nogawa had agreed to consult a psychiatrist, for Kenji's sake, for her friends' sake.

They had diagnosed her with depression and a nervous breakdown. They explained to her why she had the same recurring nightmare, why she could not concentrate well, why the people had stopped leaving orphans at her doorstep, why the school had forced her to take a compulsory retirement. It had taken her a year and a half to recover and get used to the absence of children around her. Her friends would come to visit her when they could. Kenji would come and stock the house with groceries. Her self-respect broke little by little every time he pleaded with her to keep the money he had brought or at least let him hire a house servant. She had always believed that to be obliged was to be sold. But no one would hire her for a job despite of her high qualifications. No one would stop showing her just how much support and help she needed. _He_ was the only exception.

He visited her whenever he was in Japan; once a week, twice a week, sometimes once a month. He showed no pity for her and treated her the way he had been treating her since the first time he had asked her hand in marriage.  
"It is a pleasant day, is it not?"  
No amount of impoliteness or anger could keep Tsuyoshi Onoda from sitting in the Nogawa backyard, three feet away from Saki. She hesitated to accept it as the truth, but Saki had come to look forward to Onoda-san's visits. As it has been mentioned before, he never made her feel like a patient.  
"Of what use is all this beauty if you don't have your loved ones to enjoy it with?", she was in one of her moods.  
"You do have people who love you, Miss Saki"  
Just when she thought he would remind her of his affections, he said,  
"You have your friends. You have Kenji. Mr. and Mrs. Saeba come to visit you often"  
"You wouldn't know what it means to lose everyone and everything you care about. And to live everyday feeling worthless and handicapped, having no one to whom you mean something. I wish I could put an end to it all"  
He absently kept looking at the sea waves rolling on the beach. Saki assumed he would not reply.  
 _"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey"_  
She stared at him, thoroughly bewildered. Japan's toughest business tycoon was singing a love song on her backyard steps.  
 _"You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away"_  
"Are you…"  
 _"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamt I held you in my arms…"_  
She felt her cheeks turning warm for the first time in many years. His singing voice was exceptionally pleasant. He went on,  
 _"When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken. So I hung my head and cried"_  
Onoda-san looked back at her after finishing his song. They must have looked at each other for quite a while – she in surprise, he in love. Onoda-san said as a matter of fact,  
"I love you. Please don't die"  
Her recovery had become speedier since that day.

In the house as silent as a cemetery, Saki mopped the floors clean. There was no sound of children's pitter-patter outside the bathing rooms. The clatter of tea cups and saucers from Sobu and Sofu's room was absent. She was alone and recovering from her nightmare in that dark, lifeless house. Soon, she smiled at the thought of it, he would come and the house would gain some semblance of life again. How she had begun to grow fond of Onoda-san, she could not tell. His understanding of her temperament, his conversational quirks, his singing voice, and his unwavering, steadfast love for a miserable person like herself had to be what had finally endeared him to her after eleven years. It was not love on her part, not yet. It was the yearning for good company which understood her and avoided deferring to all she despised about herself. It could not be love though. Love was the ever-present feeling of nostalgia she carried in her heart for Hideyuki.  
"Would you like to go someplace today?"  
Onoda-san does not believe in greetings. He stands in the door, blocking all the sunlight except the broad rays coming from the sides. Saki bends and puts the vase on the tea-table,  
"Won't you come in?"  
He does and asks again,  
"So what do you say?"  
She looks at him and gives a guilty smile,  
"I made breakfast"  
"Ah"  
He removes his coat, loosens his tie, and rolls up his sleeves,  
"How may I help?"  
"You may not"  
More than a decade has passed and he still looks the same. Only on a closer look can one make out the tiny, faint crow feet around his eyes. She had begun to think he wore white shirts on purpose when meeting her.  
"I will hold the tea cups", he advances towards the kitchen.  
"Stay where you are"  
He says in that condescending and mischievous manner so peculiar of him,  
"Yes, Sensei"  
If Onoda-san had never proposed to her and had simply asked to be her friend, she would not have felt self-conscious around him. He rises to take the tray of food and tea from her hands, and Saki smells the whiff of his enchanting cologne.  
"Thank you", she says and sits across him.  
"A toast platter?", he asks.  
Saki nods,  
"Toast done five ways – garlic toast, French toast, cheese garlic toast, mushroom on toast, buttered toast. I did not feel like cooking Japanese today"  
"This is good. Thank you"  
She watches him eat like the sophisticated gentleman he is,  
"You are welcome"  
They were just two friends sitting in a drawing room and having breakfast until he said -  
"You always make breakfast for me. We should try something different next time"  
"Such as?"  
"You make me dinner and I will make you breakfast"  
Saki raised the cup of tea to her mouth to hide her smile, knowing well what he meant. She would never have smiled at the flirtations of any man other than Hideyuki, but she could not help it when Onoda-san was involved.  
"I think I will pass"  
"I was hoping we could go somewhere special today because I had something important to ask you. However, since I have to get back to the office in an hour, I will say it right here because frankly, it is crucial that you give me an answer before I go for the US launch"  
Saki put her tea cup down and faced him eagerly. His expression was solemn and sincere,  
"Miss Saki, will you marry me?"  
She narrowed her eyes and shook her head,  
"You can't be serious"  
It was his third time to propose to her! She sighed,  
"Do you not get tired of this? I have given you my answer years ago"  
"Circumstances varied then. Despite of all my patience, I cannot put it off any longer. Will you marry me?"  
"I can't. I won't"  
"Why not? You know...", he frowned, "Let's get it all out. Why can you not marry me? What do you not like about me? And Detective Makimura is not a valid reason anymore"  
"Why do I have to give reasons for not wanting to marry you?!"  
"Do you care about my happiness?"  
"That is not..."  
He interrupted her,  
"Do you care about my happiness?"  
She gave up and sighed,  
"Yes, I do"  
"Do you think I would make you do anything which jars your well being and free will?"  
"No"  
"Do you find my company unacceptable?"  
"No"  
"Do you think I am unpleasant?"  
"No"  
"Do you think I am sexy?"  
She stared at him through the narrow slits in her eyes and he took the hint to simmer down. His voice was calm and soothing,  
"Then pray tell me, Miss Saki, why do you not want to marry me? Am I under a misunderstanding that you have come to care for me?"  
"No", she moaned, and then composed herself, "It is not what you think"  
"What is it then?"  
Saki tried to calm his brow with her words,  
"It is not that I despise you or think you unworthy. And it is not that..."  
She was aware of her cheeks colouring. Onoda-san persisted,  
"That?"  
She mumbled,  
"It is not that I don't want to marry you"  
His brow alighted and his eyes held her captive. Saki said,  
"It's not that I don't want to. I just don't want to marry you out of desperation, because there is no other choice for me"  
She bowed her head and hoped that he would understand. Saki did not wish to marry him out of gratitude for his friendship. She wished, if circumstances changed, to marry him because she had at last recognised his love for her and could return it with friendly affection, if not a love equal to his.  
Onoda-san had risen,  
"Thank you for the breakfast"  
She stood and looked up at his face. There were no signs of a bad temper or melancholy, not that anyone other than her could detect those on his face.  
"I would like to call on you today afternoon"  
"Sure", she said, "I have the day off from work"  
"Excellent. I will take your leave for now", he said.  
Saki stood in the door and watched his Bentley drive away. The man was an enigma.

After much difficulty, Saki had secured the position of an English tutor at a foreign languages institute. The pay was lesser than what she had received as a teacher with twelve years of experience, but it sufficed to sustain one person. The job was much less rewarding than teaching delinquents, but it was a job. She did not have to accept Kenji's charity anymore. She had brought some test papers home for correction when -  
 _Knock-knock!_  
Saki put her pen down and rose to open the door. She could see no one from the glass pane.  
"Yes?", she slid the door open.  
It was a handsome man (much younger than herself, she noted), clad in a three-piece suit and holding a bouquet of hydrangeas. He gave her a dazzling smile and went down on one knee,  
"My heart is a bookmark in your beautiful hands; tuck me in the pages of your life, and I will love you tenderly like an old paperback for the rest of my days. Please marry me, Miss Saki!"  
"What...", she would have exclaimed, but another equally beautiful young man came on the scene.  
He carried a bouquet of orchids,  
"You are beauty and grace. My heart is a temple and you're the goddess. Accept my love, oh learned and poetic one, for in the shadow of your midnight hair, I wish to breathe the last of air. Please marry me, Miss Saki"  
"What is going on?", Saki came down the front stairs.  
She almost jumped back on the stairs when a third person in a suit came to kneel next to the other two. He held up a bouquet of roses,  
"You love books, I will buy you a library! You love to walk, I will strew the path with flowers! You love children, we will make as many as you want! Do marry me, Miss Saki!"  
"Who are you? And have you all lost your minds?!", she asked.  
They kept smiling and kneeling, holding their respective bouquets of flowers and looking at her with the utmost adoration.  
"They are your choices"  
She turned at the sound of Onoda-san's voice and saw him coming to the row of the proposers. He said,  
"I am too"  
It had to be a practical joke, and if it were...  
"What do you mean?"  
He said,  
"You do not have to marry me because you have no choice or options. These are your options. Choose wisely"  
That which followed could have been attributed to Saki's mental state from the year before. It was simply an uncontrolled reaction, one which she had not had in years. Saki burst out laughing at her highest volume. She shook all over and clapped a hand on her mouth to stifle the merry jolts, but she could not stop. Her stomach had begun to hurt from such a raucous laughter, so she held an arm over it and still laughed wildly. _Leave it to Onoda-san to make me lose my calm and act like a madwoman_ , she thought.  
He had come to stand right before her as the last tremors of her laughter began to subside. Saki saw him smile and found that she was grinning too.  
"Marry me", he said.  
"Onoda-san", Saki shook her head, still shaking, "You are..."  
"Madly in love with you"  
She sobered quickly. He said,  
"I have waited all these years for you. I have seen you struggle through the worst and said not a word. But I can't bear to see you alone and haunted with so many bad memories. I want to be there at your beck and call, to comfort you, to be your companion with all that life has in store for you. Could you be so kind enough to make me the happiest man in the world by marrying me?"


	2. Chapter 2

Feedback: _ryokaori11_ – You are so generous with your compliments and I am flattered and dazed. I used to think only one person paid attention to such details of my fics. Now it's two and two's you! :P Thank you very much for your review! I always look forward to hearing from you. Hope you like this chapter too! ^_^  
 _ScriptAngel_ – I knew you'd like this fic. I am going to make it extra fluffy just for your sake. :3 And thank you for putting up with me these last few days. There might not have been many words exchanged between us but kind and earnest support of a good person means a lot to those with my disorders. Thank you. :)  
 _MerinOfTheSea_ – Thank you for dropping a review! I know it's an effort (heck, I don't do it sometimes), but your reviews will help me move the story along. Thanks again. :)  
 _Rome854_ – Thank you for your review! Do review this chapter as well! :3  
 _reader_ – Thanks for your review! I hope you like this chapter also. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 2**

Four times the man had proposed to her and four times she had marvelled at his gut and tenacity. She had refused him thrice, but it was different this time. He had smiled warmly when she had asked him for a day to form her answer. Life was strange, but so was he. It was unfathomable to her why an eligible and desirable bachelor like him would be hung on her for eleven years. Perhaps, one of the many eccentricities of Onoda-san was that he was interested in novelties, obsessed even. His words were sincere and his conduct had always been honest. He had loved her all these years and she had shunned him. Onoda-san deserved her affection as much as anyone else did; there was no doubt in her mind regarding that.  
 _'This is all because of Kenji'_  
Her former student had not ceased his surprise visits to check on her every month. Moreover, Kenji did not hesitate to tell her that his superiors had admonished him severely on several occasions about his disregard for the Navy's holiday schedule. When she scolded him for taking so many days off for her sake, he would say,  
"Come with me then. If you are there with me, I won't have to take any holidays and come down here to make sure you are okay"  
"I am not leaving Tokyo or this house"  
"It is unhealthy for you to live alone in this house. It has too much significance for your past, and you are just recovering"  
If she married Onoda-san, she would live with him. Then Kenji would stop being so reckless with the good Navy's lenient attitude and not risk his job.

There were more advantages to marrying Onoda-san than there were not to. She could be living with Aimi. Sakura and Hikoro would fill the empty space of children in her life. Sitting on her rocking chair, one question was enough for Saki to form a conclusive answer: how would she have felt if after all her years of patience and love, had Hideyuki never returned her affections?  
"Awful"  
Poor Onoda-san had only ever wanted to look after her. And he was kind enough to not say that to her face since he knew how she abhorred the idea of having to rely on someone other than her own self. What he would expect from her as a wife was reasonable – attention and friendship. She did not care about yielding her body to him as long as he remembered well that her heart belonged to Hideyuki. That would have to be drilled into his impervious skull.  
 _'I should ask for his permission first'_  
Asking Hideyuki's permission was out of the question. She had stopped hallucinating about him after her treatment. As for going to his grave and asking for permission to the tombstone, it was something she had resolved never to do. His grave was right before her when she was standing in that cemetery with Onoda-san. The shock was enough to hospitalise her for seven days. Shamelessly, she had recovered from that as well. It brought Onoda-san's words to her mind, spoken as she lay in the hospital bed:  
"Have you ever thought of seeking revenge on whoever killed Makimura-san?"  
"Saeba-san did that already. Besides, you mustn't have noticed but I am not exactly a fighting person"  
"Well, I have always thought of you as a fighter. You have just never wanted something bad enough to fight for it"  
Yes, she was a fighter. No matter what she had been put through, she had survived.  
"There is no shame in survival, Saki", Dr. Kimura had told her during their sessions.  
Shame was survival's sidekick, Dr. Kimura. Her mother would not have looked at her so disapprovingly in her dreams if that weren't true.  
"Those dreams are your subconscious fears and regrets trying to surface", Dr. Kimura again.  
Yes, it is me. It is always me and my fault.

The proper alternative to going to Hideyuki's grave and letting her mind weave pictures of his decomposed corpse was to meet Kaori. It had been only last month when they had met. Regardless of how strong and able-bodied she liked to think of herself as, Kaori was affected by her pregnancy like any other woman.  
"Thank you! If I didn't know better, I would have thought that you were trying to fatten me, Saki-neechan"  
They might not have been siblings in blood, but Kaori was a splitting image of her brother, only more beautiful and loud. Saki gave her best motherly smile,  
"I know they are your favourites"  
Ryo called from inside the kitchen,  
"She ate two boxes of those yesterday only, Saki-chan!"  
Kaori yelled at him from the couch,  
"Are the crepes ready yet?!"  
"Not yet! I am working on them!"  
"Then shut your mouth!"  
Saki whispered,  
"You bully him too much"  
Kaori grinned,  
"And I love it"  
"One would think you two would grow more serious about each other after marriage"  
"We are serious. But I only get to bully Ryo like this", Kaori said, "It is impossible to bully him in bed"  
Saki and Kaori shared a laugh, which reached Ryo's ears soon enough. He came into the drawing room carrying two large plates laden with about three crepes each,  
"Are you laughing at how fat Kaori looks these days?"  
Kaori shoved a whole crepe inside her mouth and hit Ryo on the head with her trustworthy hammer,  
"You did this to me"  
Ryo put a hand on the red bump on his head and retorted,  
"Oh yeah? Like you didn't want this? Whose idea was it to wear transparent underwear that day?"  
Kaori coloured and seethed,  
"Be careful what you say, Mr. Saeba. You wouldn't want me to orphan your child here, would you?"  
Ryo glared with the same mock intensity,  
"Oh, I would like to see you try, Mrs. Saeba"  
Saki sighed, leaned forward and did what Hideyuki would have done in the situation.  
"Ow, ow, ow!", Ryo and Kaori yelped together.  
Saki held them both by an ear each and said,  
"Calm down before either of you says something they shouldn't"  
"Ouch, ouch!"

Once the Saebas had apologised to each other, Saki broached the reason for her visit.  
"There is something I have to tell you"  
"Sure", Kaori asked.  
"Onoda-san has asked me to marry him", she lowered her head.  
Kaori was grinning wide,  
"That is such..."  
"Nonsense!", Ryo finished her sentence, "This is not fair! I wanted to score with Saki-chan!"  
Kaori smacked her fist on the back of his head and said,  
"You are not going to score with anyone else as long as I am alive!"  
Ryo climbed back on the couch, moaning in frustration. Kaori said to her guest,  
"That is great news, Saki-neechan. I am truly happy for you both"  
"Thank you. But I am yet to give him an answer"  
"Why?"  
"I need your permission"  
Kaori and Ryo looked at each other and shrugged. She pointed to herself,  
"My permission? What for?"  
"I cannot seek your brother's permission anymore. So I thought it best to ask for yours"  
"Don't be ridiculous", Kaori frowned, "You don't need my permission, nor do you need Aniki's. What makes you happy would have made him happy"  
Saki asked,  
"Are you sure you don't mind my marrying Onoda-san?"  
Kaori smiled and grabbed Ryo's wrist before he could raise a hand in objection,  
"Not at all. I am truly happy for you, and I am sure Onoda-san will make a delightful husband"  
"Thank you", Saki rose, "I must take your leave now. I have to call him"  
"You are going to tell him on the phone?"  
"Yes"  
"No!", Kaori held her hand, "You must say it to his face, so that you can treasure his expression forever"  
Saki reminisced about his expression from years ago when she had gone to his office to yell at him. If he were to look at her like that again, she would definitely turn all shades of red right before him.  
"Saki-chan", Ryo laid a hand on her shoulder, "If things go awry with that cold billionaire, you can always come to me... _yaaaik!_ "  
Kaori had kicked him in the jewels from behind.

They were strolling through the park at 12:30 in the afternoon. His coat was on his arm, and she had a hand on her mouth. Onoda-san saw her struggling to control her laughter and asked,  
"Why do you find it so funny?"  
She spoke in pauses, tried to sound normal,  
"It's... just that you... you look different"  
"Different as in?"  
She said, still stifling her giggles,  
"You look younger than me"  
Tsuyoshi Onoda passed the tips of his fingers above his upper lip and said,  
"I did it for your sake"  
The laughter was building up in her like steam,  
"You shaved your moustache for me?"  
"I overheard Sakura's mother saying to Tadashi that you didn't like moustaches and that it was the reason for your hostility towards me"  
Saki had to sit down on a bench. She bent her head over her lap, covered her face with her hands and laughed for two whole minutes. _Another practical joke by Aimi and Tadashi-san_. Her cheeks were aching when she raised her head and saw him sitting next to her on the bench.  
"Onoda-san", she laughed, "You can be such a child sometimes"  
He lovingly wrapped a strand of her hair around his finger,  
"Feel free to think of me as another orphan under your care"  
The livid rush of being in close proximity with a lover brought Saki to her senses. She inched away from him and looked down at the ground. Onoda-san said,  
"If I had known my clean shaven face would make you laugh so, I would have done it sooner"  
She looked up at him,  
"You look like a college student"  
He nodded and bounced his eyebrows once at what had been done. Saki squared her shoulders and said,  
"When will you be back?"  
"The 21st of next month. We have our appointment at the marriage registrar's on the 23rd. Are you sure that you want the reception to be on the same date?"  
"Yes. And... I don't want anything too expensive for the reception dress"  
"Here, pay with my credit card when you shop for it"  
"No, thank you"  
"I will give it to Tadashi's wife then, for most probably, you will shop for the dress with her"  
"You don't have to..."  
"What will you be buying me?"  
Saki shook her head and stopped a smile from creeping past the corners of her mouth,  
"What would you like?"  
"Something you would want to see me wearing"  
A pink blush covered her pale cheeks; Onoda-san said the most unexpected things.  
"And nothing too expensive, of course", he insisted.  
Saki asked,  
"What about the rings?"  
"You can leave that to me"  
"No diamonds. And nothing gaudy, please. I don't like wearing jewellery"  
"Of course"  
She sat by his side, enjoying the view of the trees in the park, discussing their wedding plans as coldly as one would discuss the share market. Onoda-san asked,  
"I was considering India for a honeymoon"  
She glared at him in annoyance.  
"We can call it a get-away if the word 'honeymoon' is too strong for you"  
"I have told you..."  
"Oh, yes", he smirked, showing his perfect teeth, "Yes, you have. Is there nothing I can do to persuade you to go on a private vacation with me?"  
She folded her arms over her chest and her mouth puckered in contempt,  
"No"  
"Nothing?"  
"No"  
"Nothing at all?"  
"No"  
He picked his coat and stood up,  
"I have always found your stubbornness sexy as hell"  
This shameless man! Saki could not bring herself to look at him. She could only hope that he would keep his tongue in check after marriage.  
"Goodbye, Miss Saki"  
She reluctantly met his eyes again. He didn't look any un-sexy himself, not at all.  
"Have a safe flight", she said.  
"I will, thank you"  
The words were hesitant yet clearly spoken,  
"Have your meals on time"  
He chuckled, and the sound pleased her,  
"That sounded very wife-like"  
"It did not"  
"It did"  
"If you don't like it", she peered at him, "You can back out of this anytime you want"  
"No", he smiled, "I have waited for years to hear that tone in your voice. There is no way I am backing out. Are you?"  
"Of course not"  
"We understand each other then"  
He advanced his hand towards her. Saki looked at it, then at him, and shook his hand slowly. It did not escape her for the umpteenth time how long his fingers were and how firm his hold was.  
"I will see you later"  
He looked back at her once before walking out of the park. How strange, how blunt, and how ridiculously tall he was. She knew very little about his interests and habits, and had decided to marry him judging him by his heart alone. Thank God, she would have Aimi by her side in that gargantuan mansion and that new life.  
"I am getting married"  
No echo of a man's familiar soft voice came back.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I thank _ScriptAngel_ for her sweet review and _reader_ for her review of Chapter: 1, but I thank no one else. Apparently, you guys don't care anymore about my stories! _*weeps and chokes on ice-cream*_  
Seriously, dude, drop me a word. Take a minute to review. It means a lot to the people who provide you with free entertainment.

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 3**

"Saki, you look gorgeous!", Hitomi cooed.  
Mayumi was grinning wide,  
"Poor Onoda-san. Every second is going to be torture for him till he can finally get you in bed"  
"I am not comfortable in this", Saki told them again.  
Five of her friends surrounded her and remarked with enthusiasm on her appearance that evening. Diana was powdering the bride's cheeks while Kiriko patted her dress in place down the thighs.  
"Stop that", Saki asked her to.  
Kiriko straightened up, adjusted her cleavage back into her dress and admired her friend.  
"By God, you look fuckable"  
"I feel like a painted china doll"  
"Oh yeah? We should have let you get married with that salt and pepper hair-do?"  
Diana added fuel to the fire,  
"Your hair made you look ten years older"  
"I didn't mind that and... enough with the make-up!"  
Aimi came into the room swiftly as the wind and began firing instructions,  
"Okay. Pretty much all the guests down there are VVIPs. Few, but very elite. Saki, please act like a normal bride down there. Don't frown at Onoda-san. Don't let the people see that you two haven't had sex yet"  
Saki exclaimed,  
"What?"  
Aimi came smiling and gave her a warm, fragrant hug. She said while Saki's bony figure was still in her arms,  
"You are going to be alright. Just show them your beautiful smile and everything will be fine. Do you understand?"  
"Hm"  
"And stay by Onoda-san's side. The whole purpose of this is for him to introduce his lovely new wife to the world"  
Saki flinched when Aimi slapped her butt in excitement and let her go. Her friends were smiling at her. Her husband was waiting for her downstairs. And she could not conceive how she was going to get through this ordeal.  
"Let's get this over and done with", she mumbled her mantra and turned to the mirror.  
Looking sublime in a dress of a lilac silk top and black Georgette skirt, with a halter neck that exposed the pale skin on her shoulders, Saki Nogawa smacked her lips in an effort to lighten the bright crimson lipstick Diana had spread on her lips without asking for her consent.  
"Hey, don't you do that!", Diana warned her.  
The streaks of grey which had covered the roots of her hair since Hideyuki's disappearance were nowhere to be seen. She pushed a few strands of hair back from her shoulder, straightened her back, took a deep breath and proceeded to the stairs.  
The murmur of the crowd was incoherent but the clinking of champagne glasses hinted towards celebration. As the trail of her dress glided behind her along the stairs, Saki was not thinking about the various faces that had turned up to look at her. She was trying to picture how Onoda-san must be looking in the suit she had chosen for him. Her friends had teased her mercilessly for knowing his exact measurements. The suit had to fit him perfectly, after all. It was of a navy blue shade so dark that it looked black in the absence of proper lighting. She had chosen a pale faded blue shirt from within and a violet bow-tie. There was no doubt that Onoda-san would look decent in it.  
"I swear to God I could bang him right here", Kiriko whispered from behind.  
Saki's attention turned to the tallest man in the room, standing with his back to the large staircase. Onoda-san was conversing cheerily with the Minister of Tourism and Saki had an unhindered view of his right side. Her mouth hung open and she quickly shut it again.  
 _'He looks so handsome'_  
It was only when she had reached the bottom of the stairs that Onoda-san turned his attention towards her. Saki was trying not to blush at his adoring gaze and how delicious a gentleman he looked that evening.  
"There you are"  
He said, pulled her towards him by her waist, kissed her cheek and introduced her to the Minister.  
"This is my lovely wife – Saki Nogawa. Darling, this is..."  
 _'Gentleman, my ass!'_  
Saki stared at her husband in undisguised bewilderment, while he held her close to him by his arm going around her waist. Mayumi and Kiriko had rushed to the wall opposite to where Saki and Onoda-san were standing. They gained her attention and signaled with their flailing arms and rapid hand movements that she ought to stop staring at him like that. Saki looked away from his face and composed herself.  
 _'Smile and don't frown'_  
The guests and their host were soon the ones staring at the new bride as she smiled and looked exquisitely dazzling. Aimi Onoda clinked her wine glass against Hitomi's,  
"Once Saki smiles, everything falls in place"

What an evening it had been! Saki was convinced that there was no honourable dignitary in Japan who was not acquainted with Onoda-san. And they treated him with equal respect and in high regard. Throughout the reception, he hadn't said a single private word to her. She knew well that he would not apologise for the sudden public display of affection, and hence it was futile to ask him for an explanation. The last guests were out of the mansion and Saki was highly conscious of Onoda-san's alluring presence beside her. The servants closed the doors with his permission and hurried to regroup in the kitchen for the post-reception cleaning. She felt it was tiring, dressing up and mingling with so many people.  
"You look quite beautiful this evening"  
He had turned to her and surprised her with the very first compliment in their married life. Saki met his constant gaze and said,  
"You too"  
"Come"  
He turned towards the kitchen quarters, but did not lend her his arm like he had done in the presence of their guests. Saki followed him. When they entered the kitchen, the clattering of utensils and the chatter of the servants stopped at once. Onoda-san said to the head-maid,  
"Hina, bring everyone here. Quick"  
Hina rushed out to do his bidding while Onoda-san proceeded with the brief introductions. Saki smiled as she realised that Onoda-san knew each one from his house staff by their first and last name. He also introduced her to the cleaning staff and the gardeners, who had been made to stay late by him so that they could join the reception feast. The security guards and drivers were startled first on seeing their employer and his new wife out in the moonlight, simply for being introduced to her. When Onoda-san and Saki were climbing the stairs back into the mansion, he said to her,  
"You will meet my stepmother once she returns from the Bahamas. Tadashi's wife must have told you that her mother-in-law chose not to participate in any part of our wedding"  
"Yes", Saki looked at the floor receding beneath her feet.  
Aimi's mother-in-law, now her stepmother-in-law, did seem as disagreeable and proud as Aimi had described her.  
"It is not that she has something against you; she just wished for me to marry one of her friend's daughters"  
"Why did you not?"  
"I was in love with you by then"  
No matter how many times he said it, Saki always found herself embarrassed at Onoda-san's casual proclamations of love. He was blunt and honest – she admired that. As they walked together through the common hall, Saki admired him for his relationship with his employees. He was rude and obstinate at times, but never haughty or conceited. It was a singular virtue in a billionaire, she believed.  
"There's my favourite couple!"  
Tadashi-san was walking down the stairs towards them with his signature boyish grin. He spread his arms to hug Saki,  
"Sister-in-law!"  
Onoda-san held him away from her with his hand over Tadashi-san's face like a claw. He said,  
"Go to sleep"  
Tadashi-san released himself from his brother's clutches and smiled pleasantly at Saki,  
"Do you see how eager he is to get you to your room? Wah!"  
He hid behind Saki as Onoda-san made an attempt to grab him again. Saki struggled to not laugh at the banter between the two brothers.  
"I am going, okay? I just came to wish her good night"  
Saki turned to look at him and Tadashi smiled at her again,  
"Saki-chan, on behalf of all the Onodas, welcome to the family"  
She bowed her head and smiled as well,  
"Thank you"  
Onoda-san grunted,  
"Go to your room. Your wife and children must be waiting"  
"Sakura and Hiroko are fast asleep. So is Aimi"  
Tadashi-san whispered in Saki's ear,  
"Watch out for his abs. He's been hitting the gym since you agreed to marry him"  
"Get lost!"  
Onoda-san kicked his brother on the buttocks and sent him staggering towards the stairs. Tadashi-san was still laughing,  
"Geez, impatient to be alone with her, are we? I am going, don't worry. Good luck for tonight, Oniisan"  
Saki stole a glance at Onoda-san's face and saw his thick brows meeting in an irritated frown. He said without looking at her,  
"Let's go"

Onoda-san's rooms were plainly furnished and hence seemed much spacious than Aimi and Tadashi-san's. Saki looked from the lonely lamp in the corner to the beige couch against one of the walls. Onoda-san said from a few feet behind her,  
"Would you like to open some presents?"  
She turned to him and saw the huge pile of wrapped gifts and bows against the wall next to the door. Her question was,  
"Aren't you tired?"  
"I can stay up long enough to open a few"  
He handpicked six presents after reading the names on them and placed them on the table in front of the couch. The newly-weds sat next to each other and opened the presents one by one.  
"A cuckoo clock from Saeko", he smirked, "As expected"  
Saki said,  
"It is nice"  
She observed his face as she said,  
"Taking into account the fact that you are afraid of birds"  
Onoda-san gave her a curt, restrained glance and opened the next present without a word. Saki struggled to keep her oncoming laughter in check.  
"Him & Her wrist watches from Mr. and Mrs. Saeba"  
"They are lovely", Saki took the feminine one in her hands and smiled at it.  
Onoda-san put those away and read the card on the next present,  
" _To my favourite Mrs. Onoda, I know your sexy husband will appreciate this present more than you will_ "  
Saki tried to imagine what might the present be while Onoda-san continued in a hostile manner,  
" _Yours truly, Vicki_. Your friend seems to have couriered this from China"  
"Yes. She was sorry she wouldn't be at the reception"  
Onoda-san untied the ribbon and opened the rectangular box. Saki's amused expression transformed into horror and indignation as her husband brought out a skimpy bikini from the box. The panties and bra were both made from fine, red lace and thoroughly transparent. Saki snatched the lingerie from Onoda-san's hands and shoved it back into the box. Before she could say anything, he had opened the envelope from Mayumi. It had an agreement whose particular clause he read aloud,  
" _A year's supply of free condoms at Mr. and Mrs. Onoda's will when purchased from..._ "  
Saki snatched that too and pulled both the presents off the table. Onoda-san seemed unperturbed.  
"Your friends have an interesting way of thinking"  
Saki gathered the two vulgar yet thoughtful presents in her hands and stood up,  
"I think I should go to bed now"  
Onoda-san stood beside her and looked down at her face,  
"There is something you must see before going to bed"  
"What is it?"  
He hesitated just a little,  
"My wedding present to you"  
 _'Is that why he wanted me to see the other presents first? So that his would stand out? His competitive spirit knows no limits'_  
Saki reasoned,  
"I can't accept your present. I didn't get you anything"  
He picked a bow lying on the table and put it on Saki's head,  
"There. Now we are even"

Onoda-san explained as Saki gently clasped the bow between her hands and followed him to the other room,  
"There used to be only my study room and bedroom here before, but I had it expanded over the last month"  
They stood across from the door to what might possibly be the bedroom and in front of a new, well-polished door. Onoda-san said to her,  
"Open it"  
Saki looked back at him for confirmation. He said,  
"Go on"  
She rotated the door knob to the right and slowly pushed the door open. The sight which met her eyes was enough to make her gape. She stepped into the room in pure wonder, marveled at the huge latticed window and the rocking chair as well as the plush velvet couch and solid metal desk. Her hands were on her mouth as she half-twirled and saw the giant bookshelves looking down upon her. She went from one to another, and found that she owned none of these books but was fascinated by their titles.  
"I had Sakura's mother make me a list of the books you own. An analyst then gave me a list of the books you might be interested in reading based on the books you already owned"  
Saki was caught in rapture. She found her old adolescent excitement returning,  
"And this?"  
She was standing in front of two empty bookshelves. Onoda-san explained with a proud smile,  
"This one is for the books you already own. We will have them moved here by tomorrow. This one is for the books you _will_ own. Also..."  
He strode to the walls which covered the distance between each bookshelf and removed the covers from them one by one. Saki stood stunned as she saw enlarged and framed pictures of her family, a collage of all the kids she had had under her care, a group photo with her friends, and a picture of the Makimura siblings.  
"Oh", she whispered in awe.  
Onoda-san stood across from her next to the last bookshelf. He was beaming with pride and the joy of surprising his wife with such a meaningful present. Saki came to him slowly and found her voice,  
"Why... you..."  
He dismissed her overwhelmed reaction by a quick smile and changed the topic. The wall behind him was empty.  
"Ah, this one was tricky. I didn't know whose picture should have gone up here"  
Saki looked at the empty wall and at the rocking chair straight across from it. The moonlight from the window made the rocking chair look eerie but Saki had her eyes back on Onoda-san. This man... he had broken through her wall after wall of resistance, surprising her at every turn. And all for love.  
"Yours"  
She caught him off-guard at her smile and her demand. Onoda-san mastered his usual expression again,  
"Why?"  
Without caring how or why, Saki had thrown her arms around his neck and clung to him. She said against his chest,  
"You make me happy when skies are grey"  
Onoda-san stood fixated even though she was embracing him without any self-restraint. Slowly, and in what seemed an hour to Saki, his arms went around her back and his hands rested on her sides. She smiled on perceiving his chin on her shoulder and his hair brushing against her ear. Saki Nogawa's eyes closed in reverence of a dizzying warmth she had not felt in years.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Since _ScriptAngel_ is pretty much the only one reviewing my _City Hunter_ stories lately, I am proud to say this chapter's for her. If anyone else reads the stuff I write, don't be a stingy bastard. Review! :P

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 4**

The mattress had to be wickedly expensive like everything else in the house. It was too relaxing and bouncy for her comfort. Surely, it was custom made like the bed – six feet in width and seven feet in length. Even if she reached her hand across it, she could not touch Onoda-san. And Saki was tempted to try. She passed her hands over her face and turned to look at her bedfellow.  
 _'So soon?'_  
He was not there. So she sat up in her bed, pulled the flimsy coat of her nightdress across her chest and looked into the clock high up on the wall. He couldn't be up at 4:00 am as she was every day.  
 _'7 o'clock?!'_  
She hadn't overslept in years. Well, the bed really was comfortable, she supposed.

Saki got out of bed, put on her slippers, and stretched her arms while facing the sun from the window. Her limbs had fairly recovered from the fatigue of two days of excursion. She wondered where Onoda-san had gone off to that early morning.  
 _'It's not like he is in his pajamas'_  
She had seen him produce a plain shirt and loose trousers from his huge wardrobe the night before. It took him but a minute to change into those, which he did in his study room while Saki closed her eyes at the hint of his movements.  
"Good night, Miss Saki"  
He had slipped under the same cover on the right side of the bed and closed his eyes. Saki had feebly returned the 'good night' and drifted to sleep an hour after. Not once throughout the night had she been made aware of his presence in the bed, except when she looked at him. She was a tad bit disappointed to note that he looked the same in his sleep, no surprise baby or angel face.  
 _'He is so queer'_  
Saki recoiled from the bathroom door on seeing a bare-backed man standing before the sink and the mirror. It was him. He put the electric razor down and turned to her,  
"Good morning"  
She turned and tried to sneak away, but he said,  
"I am almost done. If you want to use the toilet or the tub, it's in here"  
 _'A bathroom inside a bathroom. Good God'_  
She peeked inside the room and saw a closed door some feet away from the wash basin. Onoda-san said,  
"There"  
Saki hurried to the glass door and bolted it from within.  
 _"Watch out for his abs. He's been hitting the gym since you agreed to marry him"_ , her brother-in-law had said.  
"That is impressive for a month's work"  
Her eyes widened on realizing she had spoken aloud to herself. Both of her hands immediately clasped around the naughty pink mouth.

Saki had finished bathing and Onoda-san had finished shaving and brushing his teeth. He went for his bath while Saki stood before the basin and brushed her teeth.  
 _'He did not look embarrassed at all when I saw him shirtless'_  
Then again, shame and Onoda-san were two words in complete contradiction to each other. Saki was looking around the room, trying to find something to do. One of the maids had made the bed while she was bathing and everything seemed in proper order. Her stomach gave a pitiful growl and Saki flumped down on the bed. The day had begun to seem boring.  
 _'Not anymore, I guess'_  
She studiously kept her eyes ahead on the window-curtains as Onoda-san walked out of the bathroom in a towel and made straight for the wardrobe. Through the corners of her eyes, she saw him laying a coat and a pre-knotted tie on the bed. He opened a drawer, pulled out something else from it, and made for his study with the shirt, the trousers, and what were probably his boxers or briefs.  
 _'I am going to have to get used to seeing him like this'_  
She had barely finished that thought when Onoda-san walked into the room. He was still buttoning his shirt,  
"Breakfast?"  
Saki stood up and hesitated,  
"Yeah"  
Onoda-san was before the wardrobe mirror and spoke to her as he tucked his shirt into his trousers,  
"Usually, when my stepmother is away, we all have our meals together in the dining room. But I assume that Tadashi and his wife will have a late breakfast. They tend to do that when they have stayed up late the night before. Anyway, we will meet Sakura for the morning meal. She doesn't skip a day of baseball practice. I will give her a ride to the field at 8:30 and drop you at your place by 9:15 if the traffic is in our favor. At what time are the movers coming in?"  
"11:00"  
"Then you will have enough time for a last-minute packing"  
"My clothes and books are packed already"  
"You will have to pack away many of the things in the house", he turned to her while he combed his hair, "Kenji told me that he won't get another holiday this year until Christmas. The house will be closed till mid-December, won't it?"  
"Yes"  
Her ancestral house, covered in dust from within, while she stayed in this grandiose mansion – she felt sorry for the poor old house. Onoda-san brought her back to the present,  
"Let's go"

Aimi's daughter, Sakura, didn't stop talking at the breakfast table for a minute. She sat on the chair between her beloved Oji-chan and Aunt Saki. Contrary to what Saki had thought, Onoda-san did not sit at the head of the table. He ate patiently and talked only when spoken to. Sakura said, her mouth half full of food,  
"And you looked so pretty yesterday, Auntie..."  
Saki smiled at her typically Japanese and childish pronunciation of the word 'auntie'.  
"...Mrs. Saotome said that Oji-chan had bagged the teddy bear"  
Saki and Sakura laughed at the little joke while Onoda-san warned his niece,  
"Careful. You might choke yourself if you laugh with food in your mouth"  
Sakura ignored him,  
"You know, Auntie, I am really happy you married Oji-chan. Now I won't be the only one talking at the breakfast table"  
"Unless you haven't noticed", Onoda-san said, "you are still the only one talking at the breakfast table"  
Sakura stuck her tongue out at him and snatched a dumpling from his plate. Onoda-san smiled at her, chewing food at the same time, and took the last dumpling from her plate.  
"Mm!", Sakura frowned and made another attack on his plate.  
Onoda-san shoved two dumplings in his mouth at once and gave her a mocking, victorious smile. Saki smiled at the friendly quarrel between the Uncle and the niece, and served Sakura two dumplings from the steaming basket Hina had placed on the table.  
"On second thought", Sakura glared at her uncle, "I don't understand why you would marry a _baka_ like Oji-chan"  
Saki had never heard someone refer to the great Tsuyoshi Onoda as _baka_. She looked at Sakura and then at Onoda-san, who seemed eager to hear her reply.  
"Well", she began, "He is a very nice person"  
Sakura playfully shook her head,  
"That's not a good enough reason to marry him"  
Saki smiled. Sakura was Aimi's daughter after all; it would be surprising if she did not have her mother's knack for putting someone on the spot.  
"Your Uncle treats me very well"  
"Yeah, but aren't you going to say you love him?"  
Onoda-san interrupted the conversation before Saki could formulate a reply,  
"Look at the time. We should get going"  
"Almost done", Sakura glanced at her sports watch.  
Onoda-san dabbed at his mouth with the napkin and said,  
"Hurry up. I have to drop your Aunt at her old place too"  
"I'll walk"  
Sakura and her Uncle stared at her together. He asked,  
"What do you mean?"  
His gaze was intimidating and slightly warning. Saki tried to explain,  
"I just have to take the bus from four blocks and then a little..."  
"Why do that?", Sakura asked, "Oji-chan will drop you directly at home"  
Saki laughed weakly,  
"Walking is the only form of exercise I get. Now that I..."  
She found Onoda-san frowning at her with his piercing eyes.  
"...don't do yoga", she murmured.  
He pushed his chair back and drew to his full height. Without looking at her again, he said,  
"Very well. Come on, ferret, get your gear"  
"Don't call me that, you giraffe!"

Saki was standing by the doors when Sakura waved at her as she got into the Bentley,  
"Bye, Auntie! I will see you at lunch!"  
The said Auntie pleasantly waved back and saw the driver close the car door. She heard a voice behind yet above her,  
"I will be home early for dinner. Have fun with the moving"  
He swept past her, now wearing the coat and his tie, and sat next to Sakura in the car. Saki vaguely heard two words coming from the nine-year old – "...goodbye kiss?"  
Onoda-san's voice came,  
"Shut up"  
Then the Bentley roared away out of the big black gates of the Onoda Estate. Saki Nogawa retreated into the house and prepared to leave for her old abode.

Though the servants were shocked at her behaviour, Saki still insisted that she did not need their help. Aimi was the only one helping her out with the settling; she almost threw her back out arranging Saki's thick and voluminous hardcovers in her new study. When Aimi opened the wardrobe in her brother-in-law's room, she exclaimed,  
"Aw!"  
"What?", Saki asked.  
Aimi showed her,  
"Look, Onoda-san upgraded his wardrobe to make space for your clothes"  
"I know", Saki absently piled her dresses in her hands, "He is quite thoughtful"  
Those seven dresses, all white, were what she wore on seven days of the week. She hung her reception dress on a hanger and heard Aimi saying,  
"I remember this one!"  
Aimi was holding the green dress Saki had worn at her wedding. She grinned,  
"Well, she was just seventeen..."  
Saki laughed and tried in vain to snatch the dress from her hands. Aimi continued to sing and keep the dress out of Saki's reach,  
"...so how could I dance with another, when I saw her standing there! Stop, stop!"  
Saki tickled her friend into submission and put the dress away with a wide smile on her face. Aimi was saying,  
"We have been trying to hook you up with Onoda-san since then! And now, look where we are"  
"Technically", Saki sat on the bed across Aimi, "We haven't hooked up"  
Aimi narrowed her eyes,  
"You would have to be a real cold tuna to sleep in the same bed with Onoda-san and not pounce on him"  
"I am not a cold tuna"  
"Oh yeah? When was the last time you had sex?"  
"I am not ashamed to admit that it was years ago"  
"And when was the last time you masturbated?"  
"Shut up"  
"I am serious", Aimi pulled an exhausted Saki up, "When was the last time your lady parts were tickled?"  
"Last year", Saki admitted.  
Aimi gave her an all-knowing grin,  
"I knew you weren't a lost cause"  
"Everything is just sex with you"  
"I just think it'd be nice if you stayed sexually active. You know, maybe let Onoda-san tickle your lady parts"  
"You are impossible"  
"Come on", Aimi said, "Don't you feel like making him happy once in a while?"  
"I do"  
"So?"  
Saki smiled and tilted her head to a side in a peculiar manner,  
"You just gave me an idea"

The kitchen staff was busy with murmurs and chatting that evening. No Onoda woman had ever stepped into the kitchen, let alone prepared a whole evening meal for the family and the servants by herself. To add to their heightened surprise, the new Mrs. had finished cooking before Onoda-sama and younger Onoda-san were home.  
Hisame suggested,  
"She must have had Cordon-bleu training"  
Maneko shook her head,  
"Nah. She must have worked at a restaurant under a professional chef. You don't get such speed and such a taste at the hands of a novice"  
None guessed that she had been taught to cook by an ex-cop who used to be her lover.  
In the dining room, Tadashi Onoda was on the verge of crying. He finally exclaimed when Hina came in with another pot of rice,  
"Hina, tell Hisame to wash his hands properly. This is... this is so good. I am going to kiss his hairy hands. I might even kiss him"  
Aimi and Sakura laughed while Saki and Hina exchanged a brief smile of conspiracy. Onoda-san opened his mouth after swallowing the first morsel,  
"Hisame didn't make this. Miss Saki did"  
Saki smiled amiably at him; like Tadashi, he too hadn't been told that she had cooked the dinner. Devoted to her and smart as he was, Onoda-san recognized the taste immediately as coming from her cooking. Tadashi gaped at her,  
"Holy sushi, Saki-chan, this is amazing!"  
He added after eating another mouthful of the fish cutlets,  
"Now I am glad I don't have to kiss Hisame's hands. Saki-chan, please allow me to smother your beautiful hands with kisses"  
Onoda-san leaned forward and had his stepbrother's neck in the crook of his arm before he could reach across the table for Saki's hands. Tadashi croaked,  
"I have a wife and kids"  
It was only when Hikoro and Sakura stopped laughing did Onoda-san release his choke-hold on their father. Saki complained like a proper sister-in-law,  
"Why are you so harsh on him?"  
Tadashi drank a glass full of water in one go and said,  
"Yeah. Why are you so harsh on me?"  
Onoda-san said, as stern as ever,  
"Because you are a leech. If a woman lets you hold her thumb, you suck on it"  
"That's true", Aimi mumbled.  
Tadashi looked at his wife with a suggestive smirk at one corner of his mouth. He soon straightened his glasses with one hand and said,  
"You are just cuckoo about Saki-chan. That's why you won't even let her little bro-in-law hug her"  
"Cuckoo-cuckoo!", Hikoro exclaimed.  
Onoda-san ignored him and looked around the busy table once. When he seemed to have made certain that no one was looking at them, Onoda-san touched the back of Saki's hand with the tips of his long fingers. The latter looked up at her husband in visible surprise. He darted a quick glance around the occupants of the table and said in a voice too low for common hearing,  
"The food is delicious"  
Saki blushed and revealed her pearly whites in a bright smile,  
"Thank you"  
"You just touched her! I saw you touching her hand! Now I get to touch her too!"  
"Get lost!"

After the much celebrated dinner, Saki Nogawa sat in her new study and pondered over a form on her desk. She had made up her mind about it. And she well knew it would be trying on her nerves to make Onoda-san acknowledge her decision.  
 _'It won't be that bad. He doesn't hate Hideyuki'_  
Saki looked at the four feet tall picture of Hideyuki and Kaori on the wall. It was there because of Onoda-san. Surely, he would understand. That gentle knock on the door was his.  
"May I come in?"  
"Of course", Saki stood up and beckoned to him.  
Onoda-san stepped into the room and looked around as if he were admiring his handiwork. He walked to the bookshelf Saki had filled with the books from her old place and browsed through the contents. Saki watched him patiently and when he showed no signs of being communicative, she said to him,  
"Ashitaka-san brought this form for me today"  
At the mention of his trusted assistant, Onoda-san gave her a slight nod, never looking away from the books. He said,  
"Yes. I told him it would be best if you finished the formalities for a name change by today. You are going back to work tomorrow and you are bound to be busy then onwards. I must say I have come to respect you even more for wanting to keep your maiden name"  
 _'Here goes nothing'_  
Saki told him,  
"I am going to change my last name"  
Onoda-san smiled at Saki's copy of _Gone With the Wind_ and asked,  
"Why do you wish to take my name? You don't like me enough to do that"  
"I am changing my name to Saki Makimura"  
Saki noted the disappearance of Onoda-san's smile with a slow, torturous dread. She saw him put the book back in its place and before he could turn his glare upon her, Saki mumbled out the explanation.  
"It is just that Kenji has taken the Nogawa surname, and you have Sakura and Hikoro to keep the Onoda surname. But Kaori-san is now Mrs. Saeba and there is not one Mr. or Ms. Makimura of that lineage anymore. So I thought I could keep the name, in respect of Hideyuki-san's memories"  
When she summoned the courage to meet the anguish in his eyes, Saki found those eyes filled with contempt and disappointment. His face was as emotionless as ever, but the way he looked at her made Saki want to explain herself further.  
"I..."  
Before she could get a coherent word out, Onoda-san stormed out of her study. Saki heard a door being shut loudly and closed her eyes.  
 _'He will never understand'_  
With a heavy step, Saki took the form off the desk and read it again. The name which hung over her life like a shadow was now attached to her own.


	5. Chapter 5

Feedback: Many thanks to _ScriptAngel_ and _ryokaori11_ for their encouraging reviews! You make my day.

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 5**

She had promised herself she would never go there again. Dr. Kimura thought differently.  
"... it can give you the closure you need. Go there. Weep like his widow or lay flowers on his grave like a friend and return. But go"  
Saki had not heeded Dr. Kimura's advice. He had her best interests at heart, but he could not know what it was like to be there. She had been standing in the same spot two years ago with Onoda-san, the same person whose indifference had forced her to see Hideyuki's grave after all this time. However, was it indifference alone on his part?  
 _'This is all his fault'_ , Saki told herself and the grave.

A month had passed since Saki Nogawa had changed her name to Saki Makimura. Thirty-four days had passed since Onoda-san had smiled at her last.  
 _'All his fault'_  
He had fixed her in her study with a revolted look of scorn and pity. Saki Makimura did not take well to pity. She had spent an hour in the room after he had slammed the door to his study loud enough for her to shudder. The night had been weary and sad. They had lain in bed without a word spoken or a look exchanged. Saki had trouble sleeping. The faint feeling of a suffocating congestion had thickened into her heart and choked her till she had gotten out of bed to take the pill. When she did open her bedside cabinet, she saw Onoda-san lying awake in bed with his eyes open. What made her shut the cabinet door and ignore the need for the pills - she did not bother to know. The bed was occupied again as it had been before, and Saki spent the night looking at him, waiting for a word until she fell asleep again.

He had scarcely spoken to her at breakfast either the next day. When she was teaching her students how to avoid common spelling errors, a ghostly smile came to her lips at the memory of Onoda-san's writing mistakes from years ago when she was his tutor.  
 _'His fault'_  
The cold war between Tsuyoshi Onoda and Saki went on without any new developments for two weeks. They were both equally obstinate and set in their ways. Saki believed that he had no right to question her choice of a surname, while Onoda-san did not express in the least what went through his mind. It was not until the sixteenth day of that month that Saki realised what had truly transpired through her husband's mind in those two weeks.  
 _'He is a baka!'_  
She had gone to have dinner at Vicki's to celebrate her expedition in China. All her girlfriends were there and they had had a great evening; the evening was not great enough to make Saki forget about her marital issues though. When she came home late with a drunken Aimi, and opened the door to Onoda-san's study, Saki froze in vivid terror.  
Through her very own tired eyes she saw Onoda-san standing before his table and near the couch. His hair was not combed as usual, was not combed at all. He had rolled up his shirt sleeves up to his elbows. His coat and tie had been thrown carelessly on the couch. And he was drinking. Saki saw him empty a glass of clear, brown alcohol down his throat. When he perceived her presence in the doorframe, Onoda-san gave a wicked grin which was not at all his own, and put the whole bottle to his lips. Saki took the wise course and tried to walk past him into the bedroom.  
"How was the dinner?", he asked.  
"It was nice", she said.  
Onoda-san stood in her path, smelling of alcohol and cigarettes, and not of the light cologne she had come to love on him. Saki tried in vain to escape to the bedroom as Onoda-san held her back by her wrist.  
"Eager to go to bed, are we, darling?"  
He came closer to her from behind and whispered,  
"What's the fun in going to bed alone?"  
She had never seen this fiendish side of him, and she hated it. Onoda-san didn't let go off her wrist, nor did Saki tell him that he was hurting her.  
"You find me repulsive. Isn't that so, Miss Saki?"  
Saki said in a clear, precise tone,  
"I am not answerable to a drunk"  
At that, Onoda-san broke into a loud, uncivil laughter, roaring and inconsiderate of the situation. He let go off Saki and she pressed her fingers to her sore wrist, massaging it in a circle, observing the lunatic who looked like a dishevelled version of her dear courteous husband. Onoda-san had his hands on his sides as he shook with laughter and struggled to get his words out.  
"What a fucking charade", he sighed and smiled.  
Saki should have retreated to the bedroom then, but she stayed in awe and horror of Onoda-san's erratic behaviour. There was a moment when she felt his old self return, while he gazed at her with deep and intense admiration. Onoda-san said in a voice tender and soft with passion,  
"God damn it. What is it about you?"  
He circled Saki like a voyeur eyeing a partly naked woman. She heard him say,  
"Do you know why I haven't tried to screw you yet? It's not that you aren't attractive. In fact, I find you very attractive"  
He came to a standstill before her and bent his head over hers,  
"The reason we haven't slept together yet, my dear, is because I will be damned if I make love to you while you have to pretend it is your dead lover kissing your lips and not me"  
He shook his head at thoughts he kept to himself and pointed with his finger towards Saki. She saw him laugh again and withdraw his accusing finger. He said in that same soft voice from a moment ago,  
"Do you have any idea what I'd do to see you again the way you were eleven years ago? Every time I feel like that happy, sweet Saki might make a comeback, you prove to me how hung up you're on your past. Oh, don't look so scandalised. You thought I was upset because you wanted to keep his last name? Saki Makimura, I don't give a damn if you still love him or that you don't love me"  
She felt a sharp pain flowing from his injured smile to her heart. He said,  
"I just want you to be happy. But sometimes it feels like only he could make you happy and he has taken that to the grave with him. It's a horrifying thought, believe me"  
Before she could try to say a word of reason, Onoda-san grabbed his coat from the couch and turned to leave. He halted at the door and smiled at her,  
"Don't worry. I have never slept with anyone because I was pissed at you, and I won't be doing it tonight either. Not that you care anyway"  
He was out all night. Saki found him standing at the foot of their bed the next morning, when he apologised to her for his conduct from the night before and promised her it wouldn't happen again. With that brief apology, he was gone again and Saki did not see him till after midnight when he returned from work and slept on the couch in his study.

Aimi Onoda, being Saki's best friend from childhood, sensed the tension between the older Onoda and his wife. She tried to make Saki talk about it for days. On the fifth day, Saki Makimura shut a book with impatience and answered Aimi with an angered exclamation -  
"I know he is upset with me! I know I married him by my own choice! And I don't regret it. But I feel like I am betraying them both. I have some new, confusing feelings for Onoda-san but I still love Hideyuki. If he had left me while he lived, I would have been fine, broken but mendable. But he didn't leave me. He died wanting to marry me, Aimi. And here I am – falling for another man but still in love with the memories of someone who has been dead for seven years"  
Aimi's soothing words of encouragement fell on deaf ears. Saki moped at work and at home, while Onoda-san seemed hostile in her presence. He avoided her like a plague and would take his meals separately and at odd hours. Saki had seen him cling to her like Romeo, had seen him insult her in his intoxicated state. She had never realised the strength of his indifference though. He wasn't around when she woke up, nor when she went to bed. When she did see him, it was only for a few moments of the day and he seemed eager to quit her presence. She felt abandoned and it was a hundred times worse: he, who could have worshipped the air she breathed, had now left her alone with her destructive thoughts. Help was needed, but Saki did not wish to bother any of her friends with her personal issues. So she came to one who had long left this world.

Tears gathered in her eyes and Saki had to sit down at the impact of the emotions stirring through her. She sobbed,  
"Oh God. Oh God"  
Three words hit her conscience over and over: there was no veil of negation between 'love' and 'Onoda-san'. Not a single word of reproach came from Hideyuki's grave.  
Fearing a manic attack, Saki laid the flowers on the tombstone. She raised herself to her feet and stood there for another minute, allowing the pain of Hideyuki's death to be healed by the balm of Onoda-san's existence. It was an exhausting procedure, she knew, but she also knew that time would make everything better and that she could not waste it anymore on buried memories. That she could not waste another minute.

Tsuyoshi Onoda was in the middle of a Board of Directors' meeting. They were upset about his latest professional and personal decision, not that they would dare to contradict the man who had single-handedly driven Onoda MotoCorp to its current zenith.  
"We do respect your decision, Mr. President, but would it not be in the company's best interests to..."  
He zoned out their voices and let his mind linger over the new fragrance his bed and life had taken up. In his mental vision, he clearly saw Saki's face as she mumbled in her sleep. He could distinctly feel her frail arms around him like they had been in the study on their wedding night. 'Happy' felt quite short of what he had experienced while he embraced her.  
"Wouldn't you agree, Mr. President?"  
He resumed the conversation as if he had never quit it.  
"My decisions are my own. And I will not hear anything further on this. Onoda?"  
Tadashi looked up from his mini-computer. Tsuyoshi said,  
"Head the remainder of the meeting. I have to attend to something else"  
Tsuyoshi chose not to acknowledge that everyone working in the building knew what he had to attend to between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm every day. All he knew was he needed that one hour daily to keep himself sane and revel in the thoughts of his lovely wife.  
 _'I have been an incorrigible fool'_  
He had not forgiven himself for the scene he had made in the presence of Miss Saki while intoxicated. Alcohol should have made him feel better. _It still sucked, after all these years_ , he thought.  
"Good afternoon, Mr. President"  
"Good afternoon"  
What he needed to do was to make it up to Saki. His reparations had to be extraordinary since he had said things he would have never said to her even on his deathbed. The shame! He had been unable to face her since that embarrassing outburst.  
"Good afternoon, Mr. President", Asano said with a smile that day.  
Tsuyoshi returned her and Yutaka's greeting before rushing into his private office. He unbuttoned his coat and loosened his tie, and stopped short of reaching his chair.  
"Good afternoon", Saki said.

She stood at a respectable distance from his table. Tsuyoshi had pictured this moment in his dreams numerous times though under a different state of mind, and yet the surprise was large enough to stun him into silence. Saki said, her purse dangling from one arm,  
"I am not going to change my last name to Onoda"  
 _'Oh Saki'_  
He moved towards his chair,  
"I don't want you to. Please be seated"  
"I am not here to sit"  
Tsuyoshi turned around to look at her. She did not move a muscle or betray any signs of a loss of composure. The pride and elegance characteristic of her seemed to be shining through. Or it might just have been the sunrays dancing on her hair and white dress.  
Tsuyoshi asked,  
"Then what are you here...?"  
"Shut up"  
He beamed at her with an outward pretence of composure while he stifled a laugh on hearing that stern phrase in her voice. Saki took a few steps forward and said,  
"Do you remember what you said to me that night when you were drunk?"  
He would have blushed if it were his habit,  
"Again, I am very sorry for..."  
"Was it true?"  
Her sombre face demanded an answer. Tsuyoshi was too taken aback for a moment to reply as soon as he usually did. Saki asked again,  
"What you said to me - was it true?"  
"Every word"  
She looked down on hearing that and then at the sun hiding between two towers. Her voice was even and nostalgic,  
"When Hideyuki died, I thought I'd never be happy again. You have proven me wrong. I am happy. I am so happy that all the people I have lost over the years seem far away, like characters from a closed book. You did that. And I know you're trying to push me away. No more. You can't do that. I won't let you"  
Tsuyoshi could have sworn he felt his heart break on seeing her cry after such a long time. He tried to hold her by the arms but she shoved his hands away from her.  
"You can't do that!", she cried, "I won't lose anyone again. I won't lose you!"  
"Miss Saki..."  
She turned her teary eyes up towards his face and grabbed the sleeves of his coat with a ferocity she had never displayed before.  
"Not you", Saki whimpered, "Anyone but you"  
And she wept again in his arms, like she had done years ago. Tsuyoshi felt a rush of joy and of guilt one after another, for finally winning her affection and for making her cry. He spent the remainder of the hour consoling his wife as she cried against his chest and cling to him as if her fall was imminent were she to let go off him.  
"I..."  
"Not a word", she warned him.  
Tsuyoshi smiled and felt Saki tighten her arms around him. At last his love had come.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: _ScriptAngel_ , thank you for your review! I hope this update gives you the time to come out of your burrow and talk to me. -_-  
My _Mentalist_ fanfiction readers, I am sorry but the next update on _The Angry Princess and the THief Who Stole Her Tiara_ won't be coming soon. I was going to abandon that story but my Muse says I must go on. We'll see.

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 6**

 _'Here he comes'_  
Saki kept her focus on Onoda-san's movements as he stepped out of the bathing rooms and walked to the wardrobe in his towel. She heard him hum and saw him taking out a suit and a pre-knotted tie from the wardrobe.  
 _'There!'_  
Onoda-san must have seen her squirrel-like expression because he looked at her and raised an eyebrow. Saki smiled and got up from the bed,  
"Nothing"  
"See anything you like?", he smirked.  
Saki almost laughed,  
"Don't flatter yourself"  
She went into their common room, which also served as Onoda-san's study, to give him some privacy to change his clothes. Or wear some. She had been observing his daily activities and mentally taking notes. If he came into the study after putting on some clothes and took the newspaper Hina had laid on the table for him, her suppositions would be confirmed.  
"Ready for breakfast?"  
He came into the room and picked up the newspaper from the table. Saki muttered a 'darn' and shook her head.  
"Are you alright?", he asked her.  
She nodded,  
"Yes. Let's go break our fast"  
He really was a big invalid! She had hoped it weren't true. Even as they walked down the stairs together, Saki kept a vigil on Onoda-san's slightest actions. They reached the breakfast table and he took the seat next to Sakura, pulling her cheek as he did so. She winced and called him an idiot.  
"Good morning, Auntie", Sakura smiled from across the table.  
"Good morning, Saku-chan"  
Two of the maids brought breakfast to the table and Onoda-san waited for them to serve him. He said 'Thank you' as they left.  
 _'Why did he have to be like this?'_  
"Oji-chan?"  
"Hm?"  
"Why does Aunt Saki look so glum today?"  
Saki sharply glanced up at that remark and saw Sakura and Onoda-san observing her. The latter said,  
"I don't know. Why don't you make a guess?"  
"Mm", Sakura said, "Maybe you two had a fight"  
Saki assured her,  
"We do not fight, Saku-chan"  
"Maybe you are angry with Oji-chan"  
Onoda-san asked his niece,  
"Why do you suppose that I have to be involved when there is a change in your aunt's temperament?"  
Sakura shrugged and ate a chunk of food,  
"You are the only annoying thing in her life. Everything else is pretty constant"  
Saki and Sakura shared a chuckle as Onoda-san eyed them both with amusement. He said,  
"Ask your aunt what's bothering her"  
"What's bothering you?", Sakura promptly asked.  
Saki lied,  
"Nothing"  
Sakura frowned,  
"Then why do you keep peeking at Oji-chan for every bite you take?"  
Water washed down a rising cough in Saki's throat. She found Onoda-san smiling at her but talking to Sakura,  
"Is that true?"  
Saki narrowed her eyes at him,  
"No, it isn't"  
Sakura teased her,  
"We were just taught in grammar yesterday that two negatives in the same sentence make it a positive"  
"That is not true!"  
Sakura high-five'd Onoda-san and pushed her chair back,  
"Sorry, Auntie, but Oji-chan said he'd give me a 1000 yen every time I made you blush"  
It was Onoda-san's turn to almost choke and wash it down with a glass of water. Saki asked in a warning tone,  
"Did he?"  
Sakura grinned,  
"Yep!"  
She patted her uncle on the shoulder,  
"I will be in the car. Enjoy your breakfast"  
Saki twisted her lips into a weird yet cute pout to make sure she didn't smile at her husband. Onoda-san said, looking absolutely guilty and cornered,  
"I was just trying to teach her basic economics"  
"Is that so?"  
"It's nothing really"  
"We'll see about that when you get home"  
Onoda-san wiped his mouth against the napkin and said to a maid coming in with a jug of water,  
"Get me the black briefcase from my study, Sana"  
"Yes, Sir"  
 _'There he goes again'_

Saki stood at the door with Onoda-san as he was about to leave for work. He said to her,  
"The evening batch today?"  
"No", Saki explained, "It was their last day yesterday. Today, I only have three batches in the afternoon. Then they are going to assign me another evening batch for a month"  
"I see. Well, I am off and I will be late for dinner today. Don't wait up like last night"  
She nodded but knew that the night would have her falling asleep on the couch in his study as she waited for him to come home.  
"And", Onoda-san's teeth showed themselves in a sigh as he looked up at the ceiling and then at his wife, "It is really fun to see you blush"  
"Is it?", Saki raised her eyebrows.  
Onoda-san said,  
"The pink goes nicely with your black hair and white skin"  
"Go to work!"  
He grinned as she pushed him out of the doors. Sakura poked her head out of the car window and called,  
"Oji-chan, stop flirting already! I am going to be late for my practice!"  
Saki waved at her and said to him,  
"You heard her"  
She felt like touching her hair and giggling on seeing him smile like that. She soon checked herself and repeated the words in her head: _Invalid! Big baby!_

Over the course of three months of being married to Onoda-san, Saki had come to an unpleasant conclusion. It was that Onoda-san was extremely dependent on his servants. She had always recognized self-reliance and independence as two of the most respectable virtues a person could possess. Hideyuki had possessed them; she did too. Granted that Onoda-san was a busy man and time was a luxury for him, but this was too much. The man required his ties to be knotted beforehand and hung in the wardrobe! Saki believed she had to break him off these bad habits, that it was part of her duties towards him as a spouse to do so. The opportunity presented itself to her two days later when Onoda-san walked out of the bathroom after his bath. Saki was reading an old novel in bed and peeked over the paperback as Onoda-san got his work clothes out. He laid the suit and the shirt on the bed, and stood looking at the wardrobe for a few seconds. Saki saw him pick the shirt and the trousers and storm into his study. When she was about to immerse herself in the novel again, she heard Onoda-san yelling at the top of his voice –  
 **"FUTABA!"**  
Saki rushed into the study, hoping that Onoda-san had not called for a servant while he was wearing only a towel. She was wrong. He was buttoning the light pink shirt she had bought for him after the wedding and looking at the door with impatient eyes. Futaba panted on reaching the door of the study; he must have run all the way up. He was panting and shaking at the same time.  
"Y-yes, Sir?"  
"Where the hell are my ties?", Onoda-san grunted.  
Futaba turned pale,  
"I had s-some of them ironed yesterday, Sir-sir"  
At this, Onoda-san's expression and voice turned fiercer.  
"Yes. I saw them rolled up in little pretty bundles I could shove up your ass"  
Sweat poured over Futaba's face and he stammered even worse,  
"I-I-I am-m truly sorry, Sir. I forgot to..."  
"Your forgetfulness is going to cost me some big money if I waste my time fucking with ties. You have one job to do for me and you can't even do that. Now get in there and bring me my dark blue checkered tie the way I should have found it a moment ago"  
Futaba bowed and scuffled past Saki into her bedroom and appeared minutes later with the said tie, knotted as poor Futaba's own face.  
"Get out", Onoda-san said to him.  
Once Futaba was gone, Onoda-san walked past Saki into their bedroom, saying,  
"I am sorry you had to see that"  
Saki walked into the room and watched him with her mouth agape while he put his tie on and the coat as well. She said,  
"You should be sorry that you treated Futaba like that"  
He said without looking away from the mirror,  
"He knew that I had to go to work early today, which is why I asked Hisame to not cook my share of the breakfast this morning"  
"You were so mean to him!"  
"Miss Saki..."  
"No", Saki frowned and advanced towards him, "This is not acceptable. You almost gave the poor fellow a stroke! He might be working for you but you can't treat people like that. And over what? Something as trivial as a tie? It takes two minutes to tie a knot. Good God. I never realized you were so utterly handicapped, Mr. Onoda"  
He shamefacedly listened to every word she said. Saki was disappointed that someone she adored should be so verbally abusive towards others, and so dependent on them. When she was done scolding him, Onoda-san quietly left the room with a folder tucked under his arm and walked down the stairs.  
"No breakfast today, boy?"  
Saki's stepmother-in-law had come out of her bedroom in a silk night gown which was too tight for her puffy, little figure. Onoda-san said,  
"I have a meeting in a while. Have a good day, Mother"  
"You too, boy"  
Saki was standing against the wooden railing of the first floor as Onoda-san looked back at her from the doorstep. She understood he wanted her to see him off, but she wouldn't. He left and Madam Onoda looked up at Saki, who eased her stern expression and quickly began to walk down the stairs,  
"Good morning, Mother"  
Madam Onoda slammed the door to her room from within in reply. Saki turned meek and walked back to her room to prepare for work.

Standing in the train, teaching a class, walking back to the Onoda Estate – Saki Makimura kept going over her skirmish with Onoda-san in the morning.  
 _'Maybe I was too harsh on him. On second thought, that must have made him realise how Futaba felt'_  
She was strolling into the mansion by herself. Sakura and Hikoro were watching TV. Aimi and Tadashi were gone to a funeral. Madam Onoda was gone God knew where she went to. The servants were too busy to indulge in a conversation; not that they wouldn't have, had new Mrs. Onoda said a word to them.  
 _'Why does he have to be like this?'_  
She arrived into the laundry room while wandering, and was greeted by Mona loading the washing machine and by Futaba scrubbing some sports shoes.  
"Whose shoes are these?", she asked.  
Futaba said,  
"Onoda-sama's, Madam"  
"Oh"  
Tadashi had revealed to her that before coming home, Onoda-san did an evening workout at the office gym. Saki had been satisfied with the fruits of his labor, judging from what she saw every morning as he walked to the wardrobe in his towel. His gym shoes were peculiar though.  
"Why don't his shoes have laces on them?"  
Futaba replied,  
"I don't know, Madam. None of his shoes have laces"  
Unknown to her, that fact registered itself in Saki's mind. She was unaware of its significance when she said,  
"Futaba?"  
"Yes, Madam?"  
"I hope you didn't take Onoda-san's scolding too much to heart"  
"Oh no, not at all, Madam", Futaba smiled, "Onoda-sama apologized to me before leaving for work"  
"When?"  
"When I was talking with Bora, one of the gardeners. Onoda-sama is very kind, though it doesn't seem so. Of course, Madam already knows that. Silly me"  
Madam didn't. Madam had called him 'handicapped'.

They were having dinner that evening without Onoda-san. Tadashi had informed Saki that his brother had to tag along with the company's American guests to dinner.  
"Normally, I do the socializing but those Americans were pretty taken with Oniisan, especially that beautiful blonde lady, Miss Julia"  
Saki smiled at the twinkle of mischief in Tadashi's eyes but did not reply. Aimi did it for her.  
"Oniisama would never cheat on her. Saki, don't you listen to him"  
Tadashi shrugged his shoulders.  
"I was just saying, you know. She saw that Oniisan had written a 'b' instead of a 'p'. When he apologized for that, she gave a little feminine giggle and said it was _'heck darn adorable_ '. What I don't get is - why did Oniisan not call in Shouta today? There was..."  
Onoda-san and his alphabet. She had known it for years that he often wrote a few of them upside down. And she had learned the same day that his shoes never had any laces, that he was furious because a servant was negligent enough to not tie His Highness' knots.  
"Tadashi, we don't talk about Tsuyoshi's affliction, don't you remember?"  
Saki looked at Madam Onoda delicately forking a small morsel and putting it in her painted mouth. Aimi nudged her husband,  
"What affliction?"  
"It's not an affliction, Mom", Tadashi said, somewhat irritated, and answered Aimi, "His dyslexia"  
Saki perceived a vacuum in her body and had to expel a sharp rush of breath. She put her fork down and asked,  
"He is dyslexic?"  
Madam Onoda said,  
"Oh dear. It's a shame you did not know something so important about your own husband. You should have spent more time getting to know him better, shouldn't you have, girl?"  
Saki was too dumbfounded to observe the scornful looks Aimi and Tadashi threw at Madam Onoda. How could she not have seen it?! His alphabet, why he needed his ties to be pre-knotted, and his shoes did not have laces because he couldn't tie them! She had been an unobservant fool. On top of it all, she had scolded him that very day about his ties.  
 _'Why, oh why... and I called him an invalid adult'_  
Sakura asked,  
"What's dyslexia, Mom?"  
Before Aimi could answer her daughter, Saki mumbled out,  
"He never told me"  
Madam Onoda rolled her eyes and tried to finish her meal. Saki asked Tadashi,  
"Why did he not tell me?"  
He came up with the best possible answer,  
"Well, Oniisan has always been made to feel like it was a handicap. The nuns at his school gave him a really hard time about it. So did everyone"  
Madam Onoda said,  
"I believe that Tsuyoshi's condition actually empowered him to fight against the odds and shine as he does in everything he undertakes. Seriously, could you imagine a mentally deformed child accomplishing so much at a..."  
"For God's sakes, Mom, he is not mentally deformed!"  
"Thank you for the meal"  
Saki pushed her chair back and briskly walked out of the room. She heard Madam Onoda's voice receding behind her,  
"Did you see that? She's upset because her husband is a dyslexic"  
 _'I AM UPSET BECAUSE I SCOLDED HIM OVER SOMETHING HE CAN'T CONTROL!'_


	7. Chapter 7

Feedback: _ryokaori11_ \- Thank you for the review! You understand my characters really well and it is such a compliment. Also, I too despise people who have to term everything out of the ordinary as a handicap. They piss me off. -_- I am looking forward to your review on this chapter!  
 _ScriptAngel_ \- Thanks for the review as always, m'dear. One thing I'd like you to know about this chapter: _mmuah_! :P

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters nor do I own any of the songs mentioned here.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 7**

Tsuyoshi Onoda whipped his wet hair back with his palm and walked to the wardrobe. His wife was busy reading _North and South_ in bed. He failed to understand the purpose of reading in bed when she had a whole study to herself, but he did not say a word to her about that.  
 _'The traffic's been heftier than usual this week. I have to start fifteen minutes early if I am to make it on time for the breakfast'_  
From the wardrobe, he pulled out a fine black business suit and a grey shirt to go with it.  
 _'That Julia woman is too over-friendly. One would think having her husband around would keep her from flirting'_  
There were no pre-knotted ties in the wardrobe, just like yesterday.  
 _'What the hell?'_  
He knew he could not repeat the scene with Futaba before Saki. She had scolded him enough to make him feel like he was back in the convent. And her words...  
 _'It's not her fault. She doesn't know'_  
Glancing once at Saki, Tsuyoshi picked the clothes off the bed and went into the study. He had apologized to Futaba yesterday because he shouldn't have barked at him so for a first-time mistake. However, this was beyond pardon. Futaba had neglected his duty.  
"Hiroshi?", Onoda-san called to a servant passing at the bottom of the stairs.  
Hiroshi came up running and bowed. Onoda-san said while buttoning the cuffs on his sleeves,  
"Send Futaba to my room immediately"  
"Yes, Sir"  
What had gotten into Futaba lately? He used to be an honest and hard working man, and a family guy at that.  
 _'I can't shout at him, I guess'_  
Tsuyoshi peeked once into the bedroom and then found Futaba standing outside his study. He was not afraid like the day before, just courteous.  
"You called for me, Sir?"  
"Yes", Tsuyoshi fought to contain his impatience and anger, "You have been treating me so well lately that I..."  
 _Sarcasm – she would mind that too_. Onoda-san massaged his brow with his fingers and asked in a calm voice,  
"Why have you not knotted my ties yet?"  
Before Futaba could answer, Saki walked in from the bedroom and said,  
"Futaba, you should leave"  
He did as told. Tsuyoshi turned around at Saki's voice and saw her holding a tie which would go nicely with the suit he was going to wear that day. She walked to him,  
"I told Futaba not to pre-knot your ties anymore"  
He could only ask,  
"Why?"  
In answer, he felt Saki's hands going around his neck and straightening his collar. She was standing too close. And in that moment, Tsuyoshi forgot what they were talking about.

Throughout the night, Saki had felt like she was wallowing in guilt. She had come up with what she thought would be a perfect reparation for a folly and had spent half an hour rolling her husband's already knotted ties into little bundles. Futaba had been warned early in the morning by her of what she had in mind and that he might be summoned for a questioning. As she stood within a foot's distance from her husband and straightened his starched collar, Saki said,  
"This is my apology. From now on, I will be knotting your necktie every morning to atone for my ignorant and elitist behavior. Apology accepted?"  
"Yes, but..."  
He fell silent as Saki put the tie around his collar and worked on a quick yet tidy Windsor knot. Onoda-san was cautiously looking at her face then at the tie around his neck. Saki said,  
"I am sorry"  
She looked up at him,  
"Not because you are dyslexic, but because I didn't realize it sooner and made assumptions I shouldn't have"  
It took her less than two minutes with the necktie and she admired her work with a smile and a hand passing over his tie.  
"There. Is that okay?"  
He did not even look down,  
"Yes. Thank you"  
They were standing at the same distance when Ashitaka arrived at the open study door and bowed,  
"Good morning, Madam"  
"Good morning"  
Saki stepped away from Onoda-san. Ashitaka said to his boss,  
"Sir, we should really get going. The traffic might delay us for longer than yesterday"  
"Yes. A minute"  
Onoda-san stepped into the bedroom and came out, within a minute indeed, with his hair combed and his coat buttoned. He handed a briefcase to Ashitaka and looked back at Saki from the door,  
"Bye"  
"Bye", she smiled.  
Saki saw Ashitaka's small frame following Onoda-san's tall one and turned around. She felt somewhat better.  
 _'I would have seen him off at the door but it seems too lovey-dovey with people watching'_  
Barely had Saki taken a step towards the bedroom when a firm hand on her shoulder turned her around. Her eyes were wide open as she felt Onoda-san's lips pressing against hers. The fragrance of his cologne invaded her barrier of resistance and Saki Makimura's knees almost gave in. Onoda-san's kiss was soft and chaste at first; then it intensified into a thrilling adventure which sent sparks along Saki's spine. He did not let go until she had kissed him back and had felt herself floating away on a wave.  
Saki panted when he pulled away. Onoda-san still kept his hands on her face. His eyes were so close, seemed large enough to fill her whole world. He said,  
"Thank you"  
And he left. Saki stood gaping after him and trying to make sense of what had just passed between them. He had kissed her, made her kiss him back. It was not at all like the " _another man's touch"_ she had dreaded. It was soft, tender, passionate and surprising – all at once. Just like him.  
Saki touched her lips and realized that there was no weight on her conscience. Her heart definitely seemed light. There was a delightful, bright fluttering in her soul and a delicate, shy glow of happiness on her face.

That night, Onoda-san had come home early. He and Saki had exchanged discreet, covert glances across the dinner table. She lay on her side in the bed while he did the same. He had a dreamy look in his eyes and Saki smiled at him from the distance of three feet. She said,  
"I am not upset that you didn't tell me. I was just angry at myself for not realizing it in all these years"  
Onoda-san smiled and asked her in a leisurely tone,  
"Aren't you curious about me? My story?"  
"I am but I thought it best to leave it up to you to share with me only what you wanted to"  
Onoda-san turned and lay on his back. He watched the ceiling for a while and then spoke,  
"My mother was a nun"  
Saki raised herself on an elbow,  
"Really?"  
"Yes. She left the habit for my father. There was a complication when she was carrying me and, she died in childbirth"  
"I am sorry"  
"Don't be", he paused, "Since I was a painful reminder of his beloved wife, my father sent me under the care of the convent where my mother used to stay. I was not a very bright child, quite slow, in fact. And dyslexic. The nuns gave me a hard time about everything – that I was left-handed, that I was too slow, that I hated to read the Bible. When I told Sister Kana that words seemed to float before me when I read, she had me exorcised"  
"Oh God"  
"Some of them were quite nice to me though. Sister Edith, Sister Jeiko... I lost my virginity to Sister Jeiko"  
Saki shook her head,  
"And you wonder why they exorcised you"  
He grinned,  
"She was sweet, looked a bit like you, if I remember"  
Saki laid her head on her arm and asked,  
"What else?"  
"My father didn't tell me I was his son till he was on his deathbed"  
She sprang up in bed. This was too much to believe at once.  
"Are you serious?"  
He raised his eyebrows,  
"Yes"  
Saki simmered down and lay on the bed again. Her poor, poor husband.  
"That is terrible"  
"In his defense, he did not completely abandon me. He came to meet me every week at the convent. The sisters told me he was my benefactor. We would talk about model planes, cars, my studies, his family. Back then, I wished that he was my father. We shared the same last name after all. I was so stupid. But he encouraged me to pursue engineering. When I stayed up all those nights, studying and trying with all my might to make sense of what I was reading, to stop being so dumb, the thought of hearing him say, _'Well done, son'_ , it was what kept me going. I was working in the Onoda Corporations as an entry level engineer before he died. He appointed me as the CEO when he was hospitalized, and when he was dying, he told me the truth. His last words were – take care of Tadashi"  
Onoda-san wiped a stray tear from Saki's cheek and smiled,  
"All of this, Miss Saki, it belongs to my stepbrother. I have worked tirelessly to make my father's company the best in all of Japan but I don't feel a shred of regret for handing it over to Tadashi. Two weeks from now, I will be retiring. I will still work as an adviser, and a Board Director, of course. And I am quite looking forward to it since I will get to spend more time with you"  
Saki smiled and wiped her eyes dry,  
"I can't believe you stood by me in my suffering without breathing a word about yours"  
"My suffering has long been over. And it's not as bad as it sounds. It was a different childhood, a sad yet unique experience. My father made me what I am today. He loved me, I suppose. No matter how busy he was, he would teach me how to play the piano every Sunday when he came for mass"  
"You can play the piano?"  
"I can"  
Saki sat up in bed,  
"I saw a piano in the ballroom the other day. Could you play something for me?"  
"Now?", he looked at the clock.  
Saki ignored the ticking of fifteen past one and said,  
"Come on. It will cheer us both up"  
With a simper on his face, Onoda-san followed Saki to the ballroom in the middle of the night.

In the quiet, Onoda-san and Saki were the only people loitering about in the mansion. Onoda-san found himself in front of the old piano and rolled up his sleeves. Saki leaned against the side of the instrument and watched him sitting before the piano. He said to her,  
"I haven't played it in years"  
"So now's as good a time as any, right?"  
He seemed to disagree but smiled anyway and laid his exquisitely long fingers on the piano keys. Saki broke into a delighted grin as he created music.  
"This is one of my most favorite songs", she told him.  
"I know", he said.  
Onoda-san began to sing _'Make You Feel My Love'_ as his fingers accompanied with an enchanting tune. And Saki felt that even the walls in the ballroom must be gladdened then. He sang with ardor and a voice which was deep and soulful. Saki had never been to a concert but she believed that nothing could compare to this. Her husband was a musician who could set her heart aflutter.  
Onoda-san winked at her as he sang the line,  
 _"You ain't seen nothing like me yet"_  
So that was what love in the air felt like.

Saki clapped and showered lavish compliments on him when the song ended. Onoda-san gallantly bowed like a gentleman. Saki was grinning ear to ear. She said as Onoda-san advanced towards her,  
"I think you just serenaded me"  
"Mission accomplished then"  
His hand cupped her face and Saki lowered her eyes. He warned her,  
"Don't do that"  
She looked up,  
"Don't do what?"  
He said testily,  
"That eye-lowering and blushing simultaneously thing. It reflects very badly on my self-control"  
Saki looked once at his arm around her waist,  
"What self-control exactly?"  
Her heart pounded in her breast and sounded in her ears, as Onoda-san lifted her chin upwards and looked into her eyes. She did not bother to put up a pretense of modesty. She knew well that she wanted him to kiss her, that he would kiss her, and that it would feel amazing.  
Suddenly, Onoda-san released her chin and Saki opened her eyes in disappointment. He was looking at the doors to the ballroom,  
"Someone was just peeking in on us"  
Saki looked at the doors too. No one other than themselves could be up at the hour.  
Onoda-san said,  
"Let's go back upstairs. I don't like this"


	8. Chapter 8

A/N:In the first paragraph where I have quoted _North and South_ , the words in the brackets are the ones Saki strikes out with a pencil. Don't get confused now. :3

Feedback: Many thanks to _ryokaori11_ and _ScriptAngel_ for their heartwarming reviews! You guys praised me so much that I'm tempted to show you what an asshole I am. Don't worry. I'm mean to everyone I like. Thanks again. :P

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 8**

Sitting with her back straight as ever, Saki Makimura was smiling at a worn-out paperback in her hand. She had been reading _North and South_ for the second time, while waiting between batches to teach. A particular paragraph struck her as rather relevant. She read on, with that smile still on her face, and made some corrections with her pencil.  
 _Now, in Mr. (_ _Thornton's)_ _Onoda's face the (_ _straight)_ _thick brows fell over the clear deep-set eyes, which, (_ _without)_ _being unpleasantly sharp_ _at times,_ _seemed intent enough to penetrate into the very heart and core of what he was looking at. The lines in the face were few but firm, as if they were carved in marble, and lay principally about the_ _eyes_ _and lips,_ _the latter of_ _which were slightly compressed over a set of teeth so faultless and beautiful as to give the effect of sudden sunlight on clear water when the rare bright smile, coming in an instant and shining out of the eyes, changed the whole look from the severe and resolved expression of a man ready to do and dare everything, to the keen honest enjoyment of the moment, which is seldom shown so fearlessly and instantaneously except by children._  
She put the curved tip of the pencil against the corner of her mouth, smiled yet again, and looked out of the window. He was away on business. Taiwan, Malaysia, China, India – four countries were going to be visited by him and Tadashi-san. When he had told her about this professional tour, they were lying beside each other on the bed.  
 _"I will be back in five days"_ , he had said.  
She had asked,  
 _"Will you not go sightseeing?"_  
 _"It is purely a business trip. Don't tell Tadashi that. He'll start making up excuses to not come"_  
 _"I won't"_  
He looked at her, unheeded and constant, and she began to feel the embarrassment of his close, loving scrutiny flushing her cheeks into a rosy warmth. Onoda-san was still looking at her when she turned her back to him and said _'Good night'_. He did not reach his hand across the bed and pull her towards him, as was Hideyuki's habit in his sleep. When she awoke, she would find him sleeping peacefully but alert enough to let his slumber be revoked by one sound out of the ordinary. He would be on his side of the bed, never groaning or mumbling while asleep. She was amazed by this level of self-discipline.  
And self-control.  
If he indeed loved her as much as his actions over the years had proven and his furtive gaze recently had implied, he had an enormous amount of carnal restraint. She had nearly swooned when he had kissed her, and looked into his eyes eagerly when he had tried to kiss her again in the ballroom. No, he was not an impatient and passionate lover as Saeba-san (as per Kaori-san's experience) or as gentle and kind a lover as Hideyuki. He was testing her patience. When she came to the door to see him off to work last week, he had stalled for a moment longer in the doorway and asked her if there was anything she wanted. Eleven years of knowing the man, Saki could understand well what the twinkle in his eyes and the treacherous twitching of a corner of his mouth meant. She promptly said she wanted nothing from him at the moment. As of late, he had begun to pass his long, index finger along the length of his lips while pretending to be rapt in something he was reading. She would look away and laugh to herself as he tried to telepathically invite her to kiss him. By _Onoda-ism_ , he had kissed her the first time and it was only just that she should initiate their next kiss.  
"Makimura-san? Your students are here"  
"Thank you. I will be there in a minute"  
Saki would not give in so easily. And she was content with the way things were between them. There was no rush, no secrecy, and a calm which came to most relationships in the penultimate stages of life. As far as she was concerned, theirs was a happy marriage.  
"Good afternoon, everyone. Have you done the assignment I gave you last week?"  
She missed his voice and waking up three feet away from him. If only he didn't dislike answering private calls when he was working...  
"...and we were studying subordinate clauses last time. Can anyone..."  
Not that he would be irked by his wife calling him after four days of zero communication. Besides, she only had to wait for today. He would be home by tomorrow evening. If she didn't give in to the pleasure of seeing him again, he would definitely be the one to initiate their second kiss.  
"Very good, Tsukomi-san. Now..."  
Just one day and that assuredly uncomfortable party to be done with.

Saki's stepmother-in-law, whom the tabloids referred to as 'former beauty queen Madam Onoda', had asked her if she would like to accompany her to a party a close friend of hers was throwing for the success of her latest designs in jewellery. Our Saki was not one to deny an invitation by someone whom the man she loved treated as his mother, more so when she said -  
 _"I believe I have been a trifle upset with Tsuyoshi for marrying below his position. But I can see how happy you make him. It is what a mother wants after all for her boy. Let's try to be friends, girl. Won't you come with me to the party? It will be fun for you to socialize more"_  
It was not fun. Saki had to face a galore of questions about her and Onoda-san from the curious guests, while Madam Onoda pretty much abandoned her.  
"How did you two meet?"  
"Oh, you were his tutor? A student-teacher romance – how naughty, Mrs. Onoda!"  
"I bet Onoda-san gives you the best presents ever!"  
When the little crowd around her burst into a laugh at some ridiculous joke, Saki excused herself from their presence and sought the nearest balcony or open window. The windows were shut for the smooth functioning of the newly installed air conditioners in the villa, but she found a balcony on the second floor.  
"Oh Buddha", she panted against the railing.  
Somehow she had escaped those gazelles, but she knew well they would seize her again if they found her. Also, the view from the balcony was pleasant. There was an artificial _koi_ pond below, and there was the rose garden she had seen when entering the building. Many of the guests had commented with spite and envy at the expensive garden and decor. Saki wondered if Taiwan, Malaysia, China and India knew how jealous she was of them in the moment.  
"May I have the pleasure of interrupting your reverie, Mrs. Onoda?"  
Saki turned to look at the man who had joined her in the balcony. She needed just one glance to deduce that he was one of the gigolos which were in abundance at such rich, old women's parties. Aimi had hilariously taught her to identify them and to keep her distance.  
"I thought a glass of sherry would match the lovely dress you have on"  
He was holding two stemmed glasses, wearing a fine fitting expensive suit and an obscene amount of perfume. Saki pined for the faint but lingering smell of Onoda-san's fresh cologne.  
"I am sorry. I do not drink"  
She moved out of the balcony and the man hid his disappointment with a smile.  
"Then I don't either"  
He placed the two drinks on a passing waiter's tray. Saki turned and started walking briskly, trying to recall which way she had come up amidst the gaudy decorations and paper flowers on the walls. She glanced once at the door to her left and could not sense the footsteps catching up with hers. Before she could react, someone had pulled her up by the waist and thrown her into that room.  
"No – _mmmppp!_ "  
She tried to push away the man with all her strength but he pressed his lips to hers in a cavernous way. Saki tried to tear her mouth away from him but he firmly kept his grip on the back of her head till she thought her skull would burst. Tears began to sting her eyes and suddenly, she recalled a memory she had forgotten years ago.  
 _"All righty", she had wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and motioned Hideyuki to attack her, "Gimme your best shot, sailor"  
He was smiling and shaking his head at her. The empty bottle of sake rolled towards his feet from hers. He said,  
"I'm not sure self-defense is something you should learn when you are drunk"  
"I can't hit somebody when my noggin's a-working"  
"All right. Come here"  
She did and Hideyuki turned her back towards him, placing his hands firmly on her waist.  
"Now, when someone attacks you from behind, holds you – say, like this..."  
Saki giggled as his hands cupped her breasts,  
"You sure you're not horny yet?"  
"I am sure", he hid his smile, "Pay attention. When someone holds you from behind, you need to bend forward – yes, like that – and jam your elbow in his stomach. Do it"  
"Haii-yaah!"  
Hideyuki moved away from her,  
"Very good. You're a quick learner"  
She turned to him with a fuzzy grin,  
"Let's fuck now"  
Hideyuki's eyebrows rose higher than they ever had and he gaped,  
"Okaaaayyy. I thought I'd never hear you say that word but, this is good. Now focus, Saki"  
"Sex. Now", she said.  
"No. No, no, no. Hey!"  
He moved away as she tried to tear his shirt apart and held her at bay by the shoulders. His face was near and above hers,  
"Focus"  
Saki grumbled something and took her position a few feet away from him. Hideyuki came to her and put his arms around her back.  
"When someone attacks you from the front, his intention will most probably be to kiss you forcefully"  
"Wait. How do you know so much about rapists' assault techniques?"  
"Concentrate", he said, "Now, when I bring my face near your mouth, I need you to take a deep breath, concentrate your full attention on your knee and slam it into my stomach. Okay?"  
"Got it", she said, "Deep breath, crotch kick"  
"No! Not crotch", his voice rose in alarm, "Stomach. But when and if you are really being assaulted, go for their crotch"  
"Yes. Come on"  
Hideyuki winced and stepped back when Saki's knee landed with full force into the right side of his stomach. He smiled and forced the words out,  
"Excellent. Good job"  
Saki was too drunk and aroused to notice he was in pain. She pulled the white dress over her head, threw it on the wooden floor and advanced towards her boyfriend. Hideyuki tried to calm her down,  
"Saki, we can't. You're drunk. I'd feel like I was taking advantage of you if I... oh sweet Jesus!"  
She had placed his hands on her breasts, which were warm and heaving on that cold night. No matter how much she had coaxed him, begged him even, Hideyuki did not have sex with her since she was drunk. It made Saki hate alcohol even more._

 _Deep breath, crotch kick. Deep breath, crotch kick. Deep breath, crotch kick_.  
 **"Ahh!"**  
Saki stood above the howling man for a second, catching her breath, but ran out of the room soon enough to save herself. She made her way down the stairs, stumbled into the kitchen reserved for the caterers' service.  
"Excuse me?"  
One of the assembly line cooks answered her,  
"Yes?"  
"I am lost. Could you point me into the direction of the party?"  
"Yes, ma'm. You just have to go straight into the corridor and take the first door to your left. It opens into the main hall"  
"Thank you very much"  
Saki drank a glass of water from the kitchen and found her way to the hall. She had to tell Madam Onoda about the assault. She had to find her.  
"Your mother-in-law?", the hostess said, "Oh, dear. She was looking for you! She had a terrible headache and had to go home. I was so sorry that she had to go but she asked me to make sure you reached home safely. I will ask my personal driver to take you home"  
"You're very kind. But I think I will take a bus or the nearest train"  
"Don't be silly! How can you travel in a public vehicle? You are Tsuyoshi Onoda's wife! I will ask Lee to take you"  
When Saki did get home, she was told by Hina that Madam Onoda had an excruciating headache and went to bed as soon as she came home. Well, she could tell her tomorrow, she supposed. Or she could tell Aimi now.  
"Is Aimi awake?"  
"I don't think so. Mrs. Onoda and the little ones went to bed early today"  
"Oh"  
"Are you alright, Saki-san? You look quite tired", Hina asked.  
Saki made the effort to smile at her,  
"I will be fine. Thank you, Hina. Good night"  
"Good night"  
Vigorous brushing, washing her lips with soap, nothing made Saki's disgust go away. She lay in bed, curled up like a ball, and decided against calling Onoda-san. The first thing she should have done was to go to the police, she knew that well. But since the incident happened at a party which a close friend of her stepmother-in-law's had thrown, Saki believed she should ask Madam Onoda's permission first. People like her were sensitive to bad reputation. Of course, she wouldn't deny her stepdaughter-in-law her right to get the police involved but it made much sense to ask her first.  
 _'Or I could go to Saeba-san and Kaori-chan'_  
Saki struggled to make a decision and gave up on it till morning. Lying in that cold, gigantic bed, she felt lonelier than ever. Her eyes closed and she murmured the words.  
"I need a hug, Onoda-san"  
When she opened her eyes, he was not there. Saki hugged his plush pillow instead, muffled her face in it and slept until morning.


	9. Chapter 9

Feedback: _ScriptAngel_ \- Thank you for your review. I am always pleased to hear from you. :3  
 _ryokaori11_ \- I am so sorry for the delay in updating this story. But I thank you for your patience. And hopefully, you will like this chapter. Thank you for your kind words. :)  
 _Someone, Someone_ & _Aditi Bala_ \- Hello. Firstly, I am sorry for not replying sooner. But it isn't possible for me to reply to guest reviews. Even if I am not updating the stories, I make sure to reply the Private Messages from this site. If you like, you can get in touch with me through that. Secondly, I understand your frustration. I too am getting a little bored with these characters. Truth be told, I can't find any inspiration to write fanfiction anymore, may it be _City Hunter_ or _The Mentalist_. I can't assure you that I will be writing another fanfic or completing this story soon. Sorry. But thank you for your feedback. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 9**

When Saki came down for breakfast in the morning, she was not surprised that Madam Onoda was still asleep. She was alone when Sakura had left for baseball practice and Aimi came downstairs with Hikoro.  
"Hey, sexy. Why the sad face?", Aimi asked.  
Saki found the morning bun of her hair and the unpainted skin endearing. She smiled,  
"It's nothing. Good morning, Hikoro"  
"Good morning, Auntie", he rubbed his eyes.  
Aimi sighed and called,  
"Hina!"  
Hina came in quick as always. Aimi pointed to her son,  
"Take him to the kitchen with you. Feed him there"  
"Hikoro wants to sleep!", he whined in third-person.  
Aimi said,  
"Yeah, and Mommy wants to be Miss Universe. Finish your breakfast in the kitchen. Hisame has a treat for you, go"  
That made him dash for the kitchen quarters. When Hina and Hikoro were gone, Aimi poured herself a glass of orange juice.  
"So, what is it? Missing him too much?", she asked.  
"No. Well, yes"  
"I knew it", Aimi smirked, "I knew you'd come around. You can't resist Onoda men. They're such charming bastards"  
Saki sipped from her cup of tea and said,  
"There is something else which is bothering me"  
"What's that?"  
Memories of the assault flashed through her mind and Saki felt revolted again. That prickly feeling on her lips wouldn't go away.  
"At the party yesterday, a man assaulted me"  
Aimi's eyes enlarged and she put down her food,  
"What do you mean? And why didn't you tell me last night?"  
"You were asleep. And Madam Onoda went to bed early because she had a headache. There was no one to tell"  
"Oh Saki, I am so sorry", Aimi reached for her hand and held it, "What happened? I mean, what did that motherfucker do?"  
"He forcibly kissed me. I had to hit him to save myself"  
"You didn't tell anyone?"  
"No. I think I should ask Madam Onoda before getting the police involved"  
"Why do you want to ask that hag? You were her responsibility and she came home early because of one of her sex-deprivation headaches? Screw her, I say"  
"Aimi", Saki held her hand now, "Don't talk like that. She's our mother-in-law. And she just wanted to introduce me to her friends. She can't help it if she gets a headache. Besides, I am not a ten-year old whom she was supposed to babysit at the party"  
Aimi shrugged one shoulder in contempt and forced food into her mouth.  
"What did that creep look like?"  
Saki wished to lift the scowl off her best friend's face. She said,  
"I think he was an escort"  
Aimi emptied her glass of juice in one go.  
"A gigolo? Wait. Was he Madam Onoda's?"  
"I don't know. But his behavior and appearance was exactly like what you had told me"  
"Damn it. I should have been there", she groaned.  
Saki had finished her breakfast and was about to get up when Aimi asked,  
"Other than the kissing, he didn't try to… you know"  
Saki admitted after a pause,  
"I think he would have. He was forcing himself on me and if I hadn't gotten away, maybe he would have raped me"  
"Oh God", Aimi went to her chair, "Come here. Give me a hug"  
Saki did and smiled over Aimi's shoulder. Aimi said,  
"I am so glad you're okay"  
"Me too"  
"Talk to that bitch when she wakes up, alright?"  
Saki grinned, only because Aimi couldn't see her doing it.  
"I will"

Madam Onoda did not come out for breakfast till Saki was gone. Saki told herself she would broach the subject when she got home from work. At the end of the day, a tense atmosphere in the Onoda Mansion greeted her.  
"Good eve…"  
The former beauty queen stomped her foot as she got off the couch and strode towards her room. Saki stood astonished in the doorway at this errant behaviour.  
"Hina!"  
Hina came running at the sound of her mistress's voice and stood before her. Madam Onoda snapped,  
"Don't let that woman anywhere near me, do you hear?"  
"Yes, Madam"  
When the old woman had slammed the door to her bedroom shut, Hina came to Saki. Her tone was apologetic.  
"Saki-san, please don't mind Madam. She gets rather difficult sometimes"  
"Why is she angry with me?"  
"I don't know, sorry. It is possible that she is angry with you for no particular reason. She tends to do that sometimes. We just have to humour her"  
"Okay. Thank you, Hina"  
She tried to make some sense of her stepmother-in-law's ridiculous contempt and headed for the stairs.  
"Saki-san?"  
Hina was standing behind her with a small smile. She seemed friendlier than usual when she said, obviously trying to make Saki feel better,  
"Cheer up. Onoda-sama will be home tonight"  
Saki felt a sudden joy booming within her, like a soaring bird's throbbing heart. Hina stared at her with an astounded smile. Saki knew the reason behind that expression soon enough; she was grinning ear to ear like a new bride and Hina seemed fascinated by it.  
"Thank you for reminding me"  
She was still smiling when she walked into the bedroom and threw herself on the bed.

' _I am going to see her. Five days, god damn it'_  
Tsuyoshi Onoda was sitting across his step-brother in the white limousine that was taking them home. His fingers were curled around his chin as he sat looking outside the darkened window. A rare thoughtful smile had its secure place on his face and he reveled in the memory of a particular woman's warmth.  
"Hi, darling, it's me. Yes. We're heading home now"  
Tadashi was speaking on the phone. Frowning and pouting too.  
"Aren't you supposed to be at home to welcome me? Wha… wait. No, no! Oh come on, baby, that's not what I meant. Bae-babe… Aims, come on!"  
Tsuyoshi stopped smiling and turned away from the window.  
"I love you!"  
Tadashi hung up the phone and looked at his brother with a sigh.  
"Can you believe it? She got pissed because I wanted to find her at home when I came"  
"You said she was supposed to be at home to welcome you"  
"So what? I didn't mean it like that!"  
"People hear what they want to hear. Hence, it is wise to choose your words carefully"  
Tadashi leaned against the seat and adjusted his glasses.  
"Easy for you to judge me. Saki-san barely goes anywhere outside of work. Your heart is probably doing somersaults at the prospect of seeing her waiting for you in your room"  
 _'Jumping jacks and trapeze leaps, not just somersaults'_  
"Home sweet home, Sirs", the driver stopped the car.  
The servants had gathered on one side of the vehicle. While Tsuyoshi inquired about their well-being one by one, Tadashi was already up the stairs and into the house. Just when he thought he could go in to his beautiful wife, Tsuyoshi's cell phone rang and the voice message made him grimace.

Saki was sitting in her study, looking at the clock from time to time, then looking at her wedding picture with Onoda-san on the wall. It seemed like the wait was churning her stomach from within.  
 _'I am so pathetic'_  
She went back to reading a student's assignment when the lights from a vehicle in the mansion flitted across her window. The curtain was lifted aside by her, and standing there, Saki saw him step out of the limousine and shake hands with the servants. With a smile that would put Tokyo lights to shame, she watched him from the window as long as he was in sight. She rushed out of their rooms and stood just above the stairs, almost breathless as she waited for him to walk through the door.  
"Daddy!"  
Sakura and Hikoro hugged their father tight, who looked dumbstruck to say the least. He stared at Aimi, who grinned and waited for him to speak.  
"You… you said you were at Kiriko-san's!"  
"Well, surprise, silly!", she laughed.  
The family of four climbed the stairs and Tadashi spoke to Saki before going into his and Aimi's rooms.  
"He's right outside. And don't look so pretty. He'll have a heart attack"  
Saki laughed mutely and watched them disappear into the room. Her pulse had reached her throat.  
"…and pack right away. If Miss Saki tries to help, don't let her"  
She wanted to run into his arms but her feet were unbearably heavy at sudden. Her handsome husband, tall and a little tanned, ordering a servant about and loosening his tie with one distracted hand, stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked up at her. The way his eyes glazed over and the corners of his mouth lifted into a scintillating smile on seeing her, Saki cared not at all about who would be kissing whom first. She had to hold the railing with both her hands, as she walked down each step, with her eyes fixed fondly on him.  
"Thank God, you're here, boy!"  
Now Saki realized why Aimi hated their mother-in-law so much.  
"Mother", he seemed annoyed to have to look away from her.  
Madam Onoda rose on her feet and Onoda-san leaned to hug her. She shoved a newspaper in his hands and said furiously,  
"See this! And ask your precious wife what this means!"  
Onoda-san unfolded the paper and read. Saki felt cold to the very pit of her stomach on seeing him scowl at the lines. Madam Onoda was in hysterics.  
"Do you have any idea how many calls I have received about this? I won't be able to show my face anywhere! What have you brought on our family's reputation, boy?!"  
He wouldn't look at her anymore. Instead, he said in a particular stern voice.  
"I will handle this, Mother. Go to bed. Get some rest"  
"Handle this? Handle THIS?! How? You need to ask her what this means!"  
"What is there to ask? Clearly, she was assaulted. I am going to find the one who had the audacity to touch my wife. You can go to your room now, Mother"  
"Read the headline!", she shouted, "It says, _'Mrs. Onoda's Saucy New Scandal'_!"  
"I said I'll take care of it. Hina!", he said, "Take her to her room. Call a doctor if needed"  
Saki stood on the staircase, stunned and anxious as to what could possibly have destroyed her happy reunion with Onoda-san. He came to her and showed her the newspaper. It was a local scrap of celebrity gossip. And in a corner on the front page was a picture of her being kissed by the brute from yesterday's party. Saki shook as the hot tears rolled over her cheeks and tried to explain.  
"Hush. Come with me"  
Onoda-san laid a hand on her back and ushered her upstairs in their room. Saki went straight to the bedroom and sat on the bed. The shame was too much to bear. She covered her face with her hands and cried. Her grandparents would have died again if they had lived to see that.  
"Miss Saki? Look at me"  
She wiped her tears with her hands before putting them on her lap in tight fists. Onoda-san was kneeling before her by the bed and looking at her hopefully.  
"Tell me everything from the beginning"  
Saki calmed down a little. There was no anger, disdain or even doubt in his voice. Not everyone in the world had someone who trusted them so blindly.  
"I went to a party yesterday evening with your stepmother. I went to the balcony to get some fresh air and a man tried to talk to me there. When I wouldn't drink with him or wait to chat with him, he pushed me into a storeroom and forced himself upon me. He was kissing me and... it was disgusting. I had to kick him before he did something even horrifying. I ran downstairs but your stepmother had gone home. Her friend, the host of the party, sent me back here in her car. I tried to tell Madam Onoda but she was in her room all night and all morning. I-I swear I was going to tell her. I was going to tell you. I don't know who he is. Believe..."  
" _Sshh_ "  
She controlled her sobbing as he sat beside her on the bed. Her well of tears dried when she found him holding her hand. He was speaking softly, like they were not alone in the room and someone would hear them.  
"I am sorry I was not here last night"  
"It's fine. You were working"  
"Yes", he said and she caught her breath at his melancholy voice, "Work. Listen, I... have to go to Hokaido tonight. There has been a situation in our factory there"  
"Tonight?"  
"Right now, actually"  
She gave him an incredulous look. His face showed signs of remorse but not enough for her to take pity on him.  
"When will you be back?"  
"Tomorrow evening, I hope. I am sorry"  
"Don't be"  
"I promise you – things will be different once I retire next week. We will have plenty of time for each other"  
"Okay"  
"And I promise you this as well, whoever is behind this defamation and assault will pay. I won't let them get away with slandering you"  
"I know"  
He let go of her hand and stood before her. Saki wanted to pull that hand back on hers. His touch had made her forget that ghastly prickling of her lips. Now it was back.  
"Meanwhile, if there is anything I can do for you..."  
This warmth, this heat... it was pulsing within her.  
"...you'll let me know"  
Onoda-san said so and turned to go into his study. Saki grabbed his coat sleeve near the wrist and held him in place. She breathed slowly and looked up at his face. He glanced from her face to her fingers on his sleeve. Her voice croaked a little.  
"Kiss me"  
The full impact of what she said hit her when her dear Onoda-san's eyes became darker than they already were. Blushing and letting go off him, Saki tried to sneak past him into her study to shut herself there. But he pulled her back by her wrist and held her waist as she faced him, scared and flushed beyond recall. His grip, which had once or twice made her wince in pain, was now gentle and carefree, as if he knew she couldn't escape him anymore. She closed her eyes, timid and trembling at the intensity in his gaze, and tried to still her beating heart by inhaling the fragrance of his cologne. When his lips touched hers, Saki shut her eyes tighter and whimpered. He teased her mouth open with the tip of his tongue and she gave in. He kissed her like he didn't have a plane to catch, like he was in no hurry. He kissed her like they were eternal. Saki kissed him back, never thinking once about making it good for him. She cared simply about devouring his mouth, memorising the feel and taste of him for yet another torturous night they would have to spend apart. Not that she would ever tell him so, but from the way her body was reacting, Saki knew she was going to touch herself with him in mind that night.  
He breathed down on her neck when their mouths parted, cooling the fresh sweat on her skin with his warm breath. She shivered somewhere else too. Saki looked down and realized Onoda-san had unbuttoned her dress while they were kissing. She blushed again at the sight of her lush green bra nestled between her white skin and white dress. With their temples touching, she knew he was looking where she did not want him to.  
"Green", he said, "Like the dress you wore when we danced"  
Her reply never came. His strong hands were on her hips one second and the next second Saki was thrown on the bed. She stared at him and deftly tried to cover her half-bare torso. Like a tiger on his prey, Onoda-san was above her on the bed. Digging his hands on both sides of her into the mattress, he took his time in letting his eyes travel from the green of her brassiere to the white of her dress where the buttons ended and the skirt began.  
"Oh!"  
It was too much - warm where his lips touched her skin and too cold where they didn't. He moved upon her, taking all his time, leisurely, seductively. The first of his teasing kisses was on her stomach; she sucked it in, shocked, when his lower lip grazed her navel. He seemed to have found that hilarious for some reason and smiled against her taut skin, landing wet open-mouthed kisses upwards. Saki shuddered at how his hands gently pushed her dress upwards along her thighs, exposing them to the cold. The soft tingling of the fabric against her skin made her speechless. She pressed her thighs tight against each other, embarrassed at how well he was pushing her buttons.  
"Hmm"  
He stopped his trail of kisses on reaching the under-strap of her bra and raised his head. Saki searched for that predatory look in his eyes, but it had disappeared. There was only love and longing. She tried to reach for his mouth when he pulled up and bent to kiss her again, but his damn cell phone rang. She heard Onoda-san sigh.  
"Sorry. I must take this"  
He walked away from the bed and answered the call. Saki sat up, fell back on the bed once, then sat up again. She held the unbuttoned ends of her dress together with one hand and watched him. His eyes drifted from her face to her middle. She saw him staring there for a while before he shook his head and turned his back to her.  
"I'm on my way. Tell Mitsuba I need updated employee records when I get there. Yes"  
He hung up and Saki got off the bed. She began to button her dress, wanting to sigh and complain. He looked like he expected her to say something.  
"Will you be able to catch your flight?"  
"I'm flying out in Tadashi's jet. Listen"  
His hands were on her shoulders but she did not look up. His clear, deep voice filled her heart with a soon-to-come longing.  
"I wish I could stay. You know that"  
She nodded. He paused for a minute before saying,  
"When I get back..."  
She froze.  
"...we'll pick up where we left off"  
He kissed her cheek,  
"I'll see you soon, Miss Saki"  
She watched him walk out of the room, out of the house, and watched the car take him away from her.

* * *

A/N: The next update might be a bit late. Apologies. :(


	10. Chapter 10

Feedback: _ScriptAngel_ and everyone who reads this story - thank you. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 10**

 _'Any minute now'_  
Saki held on to the window frame and peered down through the glass. Her wait was over when a grey sedan (the latest model from _Onoda MotoCorp_ , of course) drove in through the giant gates and stopped right before the residence's entrance. Onoda-san stepped out of the vehicle, shook hands with everyone, and walked towards the mansion. Saki took three deep breaths and walked out of their rooms to the top of the staircase. If Ryo's reputation was anything to go by, he would be here within five minutes.  
 _'Maybe I should have waited for a day. Onoda-san just got home'_  
No. She had decided on the best course of action and she was going to stick with it. Before Madam Onoda could spring some more information on him, the truth had to be revealed.  
"Welcome back, boy"  
 _'Can't ever call him 'son', can you?'_ , Saki thought ruefully.  
Onoda-san raised his head from Madam Onoda's shoulder after hugging her and Saki almost regretted her plan. He looked too tired. There were hollows beneath his eyes and a crease on his ever-smooth brow. Moreover, she could see that from a distance of at least twenty feet. How could Madam Onoda not notice it, and if she did, why was she still gabbing to him about investing in one of her friends' new ventures?  
 _'The man hasn't even sat down yet!'_  
Onoda-san nodded at Madam Onoda's words and told her to do what she saw fit.  
 _'As always'_  
"Hello"  
She could see he had put his best effort into the smile but it was still half-hearted and reeked of exhaustion. Onoda-san looked down at his wife's face, standing before her at the top of the stairs. Saki glanced once at Madam Onoda below, who was glowering at her.  
"I missed you"  
Wanting to spite Madam Onoda further and because she truly had missed him, Saki went on her tiptoes, pulled Onoda-san a little lower by the lapels of his coat and kissed him. She glanced at her stepmother-in-law's face and found it contorted like a bulldog's. Her husband's face, however, was lit up with amusement.  
"You really did miss me"  
She took him by the arm and led him to their rooms, hoping that Madam Onoda would figuratively burst into flames at that. What happened was even better. Bobby called from the bottom of the stairs,  
"Onoda-sama?"  
Onoda-sama looked back with a frown. Bobby said,  
"A Mr. Ryo Saeba and company want to call upon you. Now"  
"Usher them in"  
Onoda-san looked at Saki but she was determined to betray no revelation till Saeba-san was before their eyes. Madam Onoda, in her silk negligee, was headed to her room but Saki called.  
"Madam Onoda?"  
The woman looked up at her with superiority and disdain. Saki bit back a smile,  
"It is best that you stay a little longer"  
As if on cue, two gagged men were thrown into the room and Ryo Saeba followed behind.

Madam Onoda stood still as a rock in her place while Onoda-san climbed down the stairs and asked,  
"What is the meaning of this?"  
"Good evening to you too", Ryo said in his usual manner, "Hey there, Saki-chan"  
Saki came to her husband's side and waited. Ryo put one foot over the better-looking man of the two and said,  
"This is Keomaki Inuta, or as he prefers to be called, Ken. And this four-eyed creep…"  
He kicked the other one lightly,  
"…is Jimmy Gouda – the man who photographed Saki-chan while Ken here was molesting her"  
Saki didn't need to look at her husband's face to know he was fuming with rage. She held his hand before he could step forth and beat those two within mere inches of their life. Ryo went on,  
"Jimmy and Ken were paid a hundred thousand yen each for doing this to Saki-chan. The whole chain of who-paid-who is quite long and it was purposefully done so since the original perpetrator did not want any traces leading to them. But when Saki-chan came to me yesterday, I did a thorough job of finding out who was behind this. Wait. I think I have a tree diagram drawn somewhere…"  
He checked the pockets of his jacket and then pants. Ryo smiled brightly on finding the piece of paper and held it up,  
"Aha! See for yourself, Onoda-san"  
Saki kept a keen eye on her husband's face as he unfolded the paper and read. He ripped it in pieces and shoved those in his pocket. His voice was calm, except for a slight tremor at the end,  
"My stepmother was behind all this. Do you want to press criminal charges?"  
She knew what her answer was going to be before the question was asked.  
"No"  
"I won't stop you"  
"I don't want to press any charges. I just wanted everyone to know the truth"  
Saki exchanged a brief glance with Ryo when Onoda-san walked to his stepmother, who still held her head high. Onoda-san addressed Ryo,  
"Could you wait a while with them in the drawing room? I will join you shortly"  
Ryo picked them both up by their collars and followed Hina with a lascivious grin into the adjoining room. Saki watched Onoda-san and his stepmother closely. What she had assumed would be a sense of triumph actually turned out to be guilt. Her husband was standing with a defeated look on his face. His low, poignant voice hurt her even more.  
"Is it true?"  
To Saki's surprise, Madam Onoda did not lie. She wouldn't look at the man before her though.  
"Did you do all this, Mother?"  
"I was trying to protect you from her, Tsuyoshi. She is not fit to be your wife"  
"I told you that I love her"  
"She does not belong here!", she hissed.  
Onoda-san marched right past Saki into their rooms and shut the door behind him. She turned to go after him, now believing that she had been the cause of his grief. Madam Onoda said through gritted teeth,  
"You cheap trash slut"  
Saki turned and faced the woman. The words were vehemently spoken,  
"This is what you wanted – to create a reef between him and me. Oh, I underestimated you. I'll give you that"  
"Listen carefully to what I say and engrave the words in your memory", Saki stepped down and looked her in the eye, "You or anyone in this world will have to go through this cheap trash slut before a finger can be laid on him. Never forget that"  
"Futaba!"  
Saki turned at the sound of his voice and rushed upstairs.

She sat on the bed after he bade her to sit for a while. This was not how she had wanted things to turn out. Futaba and Chiemi were packing as Onoda-san had instructed them to. Ryo had taken the two hoodlums with him after a private conversation with her husband. She didn't even get to thank him for his help.  
Onoda-san was talking on the phone,  
"The movers can come tomorrow. I'll send some of the house staff to clean the apartment. Yes. As soon as possible"  
He set the receiver down and sat next to her. They were alone in the bedroom now.  
"We are leaving", he reached over and held her hand, "You will come with me?"  
"Of course"  
This apartment he had spoken off to Ashitaka on the phone was heard of often by Saki. It was bought completely out of the money Onoda-san received as his salary, not a penny from elsewhere. Everyone who knew about it called it _'The Apartment'_. But she had reservations about living there.  
"Are we going to live in the Apartment?"  
"Yes. Do you mind?"  
"Well, it's quite far from the institute and from your office too"  
"I will find another place soon"  
"No, that's not what I meant"  
He did not look offended that she had probably insulted his precious bachelor pad, thank goodness. The Apartment or any apartment was not her idea of 'home'. Even this marbled and filthily expensive mansion had come to be 'home' to her. Her perfect home, however, was still a place by the beach, with traditional architecture, with sea breeze wafting through the house at all hours.  
"Onoda-san!"  
He raised an eyebrow at her. She realized that she shouldn't have sounded so chirpy, but the prospect was too exciting despite of the situation.  
"Can't we go live at my grandparents' place?"  
He did not dismiss her suggestion immediately. And she loved that he took his time to reply.  
"The place hasn't been occupied for months"  
"I'll take care of the cleaning. And it's big enough for two people to live. There's the upper floor as well. I think it is the perfect place for us"  
Onoda-san looked ahead of them and seemed to ponder over the matter. He looked back at her just once and Saki tried to convince him with telepathy.  
 _'Please say 'yes'. Please, please'_  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes"  
"As you wish then"  
She would have thanked him in her joy but he phoned Ashitaka and started giving precise instructions. Futaba and Chiemi came from his study and stood in the door. Chiemi said to Saki,  
"Saki-san, everything is packed"  
Onoda-san ended his call and looked at his wife,  
"Shall we?"  
She walked by his side out of their rooms, wondering how empty her study would look by tomorrow. Madam Onoda stopped them when they were about to walk out of the mansion doors. Saki was sad to see that the woman looked repentant.  
"Tsuyoshi, don't do this. What will I tell Tadashi when he comes back?"  
Onoda-san didn't waver. She clutched his arm and pleaded,  
"Please, boy, don't"  
He gently pulled her hands off him and said,  
"I will not spend another minute in a house where Miss Saki is unwelcome. Goodbye, Mother"  
Their two trunks were loaded into the back of the Bentley by the time they reached the car. Onoda-san held the door to the passenger seat open, looking at Tana and Hiroshi. Tana got into the backseat and Hiroshi followed. Hina came meekly towards Onoda-san and he shook her hand.  
"Take care of yourself", he said.  
Hina nodded. Even in the grim darkness of the evening, Saki could see that Hina had been crying. She nearly cried herself when Hina hugged her tightly and wouldn't let go.  
"Come on", Onoda-san said.  
Then did Hina let go and smiled at Saki, who was soon looking back at the farewell gathering outside the mansion even when Onoda-san had driven the car into the distance.

* * *

The dear clock, which her grandfather had brought home when her father still lived, reminded Saki that it was quite late. 10:00 pm and they hadn't had dinner yet. She stood looking around at the drawing room – floorboards and furniture wiped clean, pillows dusted out, the TV and vase glossy on the surface, and her favorite smell of peppermint tea coming from the kitchen. Saki untied her headscarf and put all three brooms and cleaning equipment in the broom closet outside what had once been the girls' bathroom. Onoda-san was out in the front yard with Ashitaka, going over some documents and also, she assumed, supplying everyone with his new correspondence address. He had offered to help with the cleaning but Hiroshi and Tana looked horrified at the thought. So Saki had made him stay outside for the past hour while she supervised and participated in the cleaning. After washing her hands up to her elbows, she sent Hiroshi with the tea for Onoda-san and Ashitaka, while she sat down to have some herself with Tana.  
"Has the food arrived yet?", she handed a teacup on a saucer to Hiroshi.  
He sat next to Tana after accepting it,  
"Thank you. No, madam. It should be here soon though"  
Saki relaxed a bit and tried to lean against the wall behind her. A mild popping sound made her grimace. Her back was as stiff as the Rosetta Stone.  
 _'I thought I would be forty by the time my bones formed their own orchestra'_  
Dinner came soon. Mr. and Mrs. Onoda (nominally, Mrs. Saki Makimura) forced Ashitaka, Hiroshi and Tana to have dinner with them. Ashitaka promised to drop the other two back at the mansion. By the time they were gone, Saki sat in her backyard in the rocking chair. Thankfully, that old girl was still rocking smoothly. She gazed at the ocean with a profound sense of contentment, and hoped that the breeze was whispering, _"Welcome home"_.  
When Saki walked back into the house, she found Onoda-san to be in what used to be the boys' bedroom. He was bent over the table, connecting modems and cables to his computer. Saki stared at his butt to her heart's content and then cleared her throat. He looked back at her and went around to the back of the CPU.  
"Almost done"  
"It's past 11 o'clock. You have work tomorrow"  
"Don't you?"  
"No, I will take the day off, clean the rooms upstairs"  
He straightened up, done with the computer, and said,  
"I would like to stay and help"  
"No need", she smiled, "I used to clean the whole house within an hour every morning at 4:00"  
"Still..."  
"I will manage, I assure you"  
"Your books will be here tomorrow. You'll need help setting them up"  
"I'll call my friends. They could use some physical exercise"  
"Do you have enough bookshelves?"  
"No. Actually, I might need your help in that matter after all", she said, "We'll need to go bookshelf shopping"  
"How about day after tomorrow? I have to get this..."  
"Okay"  
He gave her a brief smile,  
"Good"  
This smile reminded her of the wary one he had given her back at the mansion. Saki felt guilty no longer but still sympathized with the betrayal he had to face at Madam Onoda's hands.  
"Listen. About what happened with your stepmother..."  
"If it is not a problem to you, I would appreciate that we did not broach that subject. I am not indifferent to what she did to you and you have my word that that two-yen piece of trash which calls itself a newspaper will be declaring a public apology to you first thing in the morning, it's just..."  
He paused and almost whispered the next words,  
"I am sorry you had to go through that. All because of me"  
"It was not because of you"  
"If it weren't for me..."  
"Hush", she flicked off a tiny dust cloud from his sleeve, "We will not talk about it anymore. Do you understand?"  
"Yes", he said and gave a little nod, "Thank you"  
Saki smiled and would have given him a hug if she wasn't afraid her back would pop and crackle.  
"You need some sleep. Come"  
She led him to the bedroom after turning off the lights in what was now his study. Saki confirmed that she had finally reached the dreaded middle-age when the prospect of being alone in the room with a starched-shirt-wearing and emotionally-vulnerable-at-the-moment Onoda-san was not enough to make her forgo a few hours of sleep. She was physically tired after such a long time. That was why, she had personally dusted out the mattress with an oar from the tool-shed. All she wanted was to jump onto her princess mattress and doze off.  
 _'Mattress. Shit'_  
Onoda-san and Saki lay on the mattress, looking up at the ceiling, with their elbows touching. Neither would admit there was no space for movement. Onoda-san said,  
"We should get a new bed"  
"Yep"


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you _ScriptAngel_ for your review of the last chapter. This is a common disclosure to all who may read that I cannot promise you anymore fics. I will try but I can't promise.  
Also, this chapter might better be read in private. :3

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 11**

The night passed and the day found our beloved couple in their cozy kitchen. Saki set the rice to steam while also instructing Onoda-san on how to chop the vegetables. She thought him to be a bit slow but diligent. It was when she was stirring a small pot of stock that she looked over at him and found him looking pale.  
"You don't seem too well today"  
"I am fine"  
"Do you feel fine?"  
"Yes"  
"Are you sure?"  
Onoda-san admitted with a light shrug,  
"I could not sleep last night"  
Saki's guilt rushed to her aid,  
"The mattress is a little lumpy but I will..."  
He raised his head from above the chopping board and looked sideways at her,  
"I could not sleep because I was thinking about you"  
She was confused,  
"But I was right next to you"  
"Our proximity was what got me... thinking"  
Saki smiled at that. She advanced a little towards him, saying,  
"I'll air out another mattress today. We can use it till we buy that bed. Tomorrow"  
"I remember"  
While she had to patiently remind Hideyuki of their secret appointments and then be delighted at his profusely delivered apologies, Onoda-san remembered every single detail with a mechanical accuracy. The contrast was only astounding to her in the sense that she could fall in love with both ends of the rope. And she wished to laugh at that peculiar metaphor.  
"So, what's the plan for today?", he asked when they sat down to breakfast.  
"Clean the upper story, make space upstairs for my books when they arrive. And air out a mattress. What about you?"  
"I stepped into a kitchen and played sous chef. Who knows what's in store for me today?"  
Saki grinned,  
"Oh, I do. You're going to preside over some boring meetings and scold Tadashi-san for one thing or another. Then you're going to take a break at 4:00. You'll stay late at work, offering your wife some usual excuse. And while you're doing all that, I will have finished my chores and will be sitting in the backyard, listening to Sonny and Cher"  
There was a faint smile on his lips,  
"Hippie"  
"Nerd"  
He put the tea cup down and said,  
"You are wrong about that last part. I will be home early today"  
"By early, you mean?"  
"6'o clock"  
"Good"  
"Good"  
They smiled again and began gathering the dirty dishes.

Onoda-san kept his word. A sharp two minutes before 6:00 pm, the company's executive cab dropped him outside the gate to Nogawa House. He thanked the driver and waited for him to leave to open the gate. It might have been a silly notion but Onoda-san did not like anyone intruding when he was in Saki's company. He believed he was a completely different person in her presence and whoever, other than her witnessed that side of Tsuyoshi Onoda, be damned.  
 _'She has left the door open again'_  
He slid the front door aside and entered the house. Saki had a _bad habit_ of leaving the door unlocked during the day. This he had discovered from his days of visiting her while she grieved over her lover's death. He fully intended to scold her over this lack of precaution against burglars but the action never followed. For when he was rid of his coat and tie, and walked over to the backyard, he found his wife putting some heavy box in the tool-shed.  
 _'Look at that'_  
He was filled with concern and pity for her sweating and heaving form. But then she saw him and smiled, showing her pearly whites, her chest rising and falling with the current exhaustion. Pity was kicked out of the door by red-hot lust.  
Saki climbed two steps to face him full,  
"Hello there"  
Onoda-san's greeting was a kiss on her lips. Lips, which she quickly retracted and curled up in a laugh.  
"Don't. I'm all sweaty"  
He pulled her close and, with the tip of his tongue, licked a tiny bead of sweat on her neck,  
"I know"  
He was wrong to suppose that the throatily whispered words would make her yield. Saki put her hand on his chest and looked up at his face.  
"Wait", she held his arm, "You're hot"  
"Thank you"  
"No. You might have a fever. Let me take your temperature"  
"Miss Saki..."  
"It will take just a minute. Wait in the bedroom. I'll quickly wash up and be right with you"  
She was rushing towards the bathroom before he could try to negotiate. He sighed and headed to their bedroom.

Saki had lost her calm on seeing the 130° on the thermometer. Without saying a word to Onoda-san, she called up Tadashi and asked him to bring his stepbrother's regular physician.  
"There's no such thing as 'your Oneesan's regular doctor'. So I brought the best one I know", Tadashi stood in the drawing room.  
Onoda-san was furious and ready to show their visitors the door. He looked at Saki and then at the doctor.  
"I am in perfect health. Your services won't be needed. You can leave"  
Saki said,  
"Your temperature is rising. You might have the flu that's going around"  
"I've never fallen sick in my whole life"  
Tadashi chirped, swinging to and fro on his feet,  
"Never ever"  
"Let him have a quick look at least"  
"Tadashi, take the good gentleman out and pay him his visiting fees"  
"Please", she said.  
Onoda-san stopped with his back to them, like he couldn't leave for the bedroom anymore. Tadashi glanced at Saki's pleading eyes and Onoda-san's defeated expression.  
"Uh-oh"  
Onoda-san turned, glared at Saki once and said to his stepbrother,  
"Bring two chairs from that room"

The doctor made the diagnosis that Onoda-san's fever was a result of over-exertion. Saki was glad that it was not the flu but the sight of him lying frowning and helpless on her mattress was painful. She nursed him with her loving words, like _"Please, don't get up. Please"_ and _"It's just a compress. It's okay"_. Tadashi had told her before leaving (and risked being punched for that),  
 _"He's probably a bad patient"_  
He was. Still, he lay there like an obedient child, only because he didn't want her to worry about him. There was another reason for her to worry though.  
 _"This tablet should make him start sweating soon. If that doesn't happen, give him another one after an hour. Remember – it's crucial to make him sweat by morning. We don't want the fever to escalate and reach his brain"_  
The clock on her bedroom wall said 12:40 and Onoda-san hadn't sweat a drop. Saki wondered if she should give him a third tablet.  
"You need to sleep", he told her.  
She put her hand on his brow again. Burning hot.  
"I am going to get you another blanket"  
"No!", he held her wrist before she could get up, "There's at least a hundred pounds of sheets on me right now. If it weren't for your face, I would think I was being roasted on a spit in hell. No more blankets"  
"But you're not sweating"  
"I told you I am fine. Now get this off me and..."  
"Hush"  
He promptly shut up.  
 _'Oh God, what do I do? He needs to sweat. What do I do? I could take him out for a run but he might lose whatever energy he has left. I have to make him sweat'_  
Like a shooting star across the sky, an idea passed through Saki's mind and she stiffened. She looked down at Onoda-san, who raised a brow at her curious stare. She debated inwardly over the merits of her scheme. Maybe it would work. It was not how she wanted _that_ to be but she didn't have many options.  
"You are thinking about doing something weird or stupid"  
Onoda-san was looking at her with undisguised suspicion. Saki checked his temperature again before finally making up her mind: 150°.  
 _'I don't care. I have to do this'_  
"Miss Saki?"  
She leaned over him and said,  
"Be still and relax"  
"What are you doing?"  
She was glad he couldn't move his hands easily under all that weight. She adjusted the sheets so they were only on his upper body. This way, he couldn't stop her. She poured all her love for him in two words,  
"Trust me"  
Onoda-san nearly jumped through the roof when Saki unbuckled the belt on his pants and unzipped them.  
"What are you doing?!"

* * *

 ** _***'M' rated part***_**

Onoda-san threw off the sheets and sat up. He brushed off Saki's hands and asked again,  
"What the hell were you doing?"  
"You need to sweat!"  
"How is taking off my pants going to make me sweat?"  
"I wasn't just taking off your pants. We're going to have sex"  
He watched speechless as Saki got on her knees and took off her dress. She was blushing, but had a small smile on her face.  
"We need to work up a good sweat"  
She had been wearing white under white. And lace at that. He had to breathe through his mouth at the sight of her small delicate breasts and that pale, milky-white skin. She looked like a fantasy angel. Onoda-san's hands twitched to touch her skin and gently put aside the long black hair on her shoulders and back.  
"Are you going to cooperate?", Saki tried to get on his lap.  
He recoiled like she was some sea monster. His head shook and he closed his eyes,  
"No. Not like this. Please"  
"You need to sweat. Let me take care of you"  
Onoda-san crawled backwards on the mattress, trying to persuade Saki to let him be. The vision was too much though.  
"Miss Saki, no. Please. I don't want our first time together to be like this"  
"I wanted it to be different too but we're out of options to make you sweat"  
"I will be fi... fuck"  
Saki was sitting on his lap, directly aligned with his privates. Her shoulders shook as she gave out a small laugh.  
"Do you want some inspiration for your perspiration?"  
She took his hands and passed them over her waist, her thighs. Onoda-san looked thunderstruck.  
"Lately I have discovered, I am happiest when you are touching me", she kissed his brow, "Do you like touching me?"  
He didn't answer.  
"I like touching you too"  
With that, she unbuttoned his shirt and unzipped his pants again. Onoda-san couldn't find it within him to make her stop. It was like opening one's Christmas present on the 24th itself.  
"Say 'yes' when you like something I do"  
Saki kissed and stroked his body like a lecherous lover would while he lay beneath her like a scared virgin. All through the foreplay, she kept saying things which made him lose his mind.  
"I touch myself thinking about you so often"  
"One of my secret fantasies includes tying you up and having my way with you"  
"You have such beautiful hands. Could you stroke me there? Oh yes, there!"  
He could feel her arousal on his own. Strangely, neither of them had even removed their underwear yet. The possible conclusion that Saki could get that wet merely by touching and fondling him made his heart throb. But he drew the line when she put her hand inside his pants.  
"No. Miss Saki, please. Not that"  
She purred,  
"Why not? You need kisses there too. Kisses and a lot more"  
He frowned and looked away. He was embarrassed and aroused further.  
"Don't talk like that"  
She grinned,  
"Why? Does it turn you on?"  
He wouldn't look at her. And downstairs, his erection was flaming hot. Saki placed herself right above it and wiggled out of her panties.  
"Oh God", Onoda-san could hear his heart thumping.  
She took his hand and unhooked her bra, guiding his fingers. Onoda-san diverted his kisses to her small pert breasts. Saki threw back her head and held him there for a while. When he looked up, he found her looking down at him. Her eyes twinkling, her cheeks blushing, and her lips forming a demure smile, Saki said,  
"I'm here, Tsuyoshi. I'm yours to take. All yours"  
And take her he did. Losing all his self-control at those words, Tsuyoshi pulled her underneath him and entered her slick sex. He kissed her slowly, everywhere, in utter contrast with his thrusting. God, it felt good inside the woman you loved.

Saki tried not to faint. The feeling was overwhelming. It rose and rose till it exploded like ice-crystals and shook her core. It felt so good after such a long time that she screamed and banged her fists against the mattress. But he wasn't done yet. He came a minute later with a soft groan, panting, releasing, and sweating. Saki stared at his face in awe. He had never seemed so beautiful to her as when he came, and his face became an adorable amalgam of joy, climax, exhaustion, and embarrassment. He was still coming when Saki couldn't resist clenching tighter to see the look on his face. He groaned again and gasped, a drop of sweat from his forehead fell on hers. Tsuyoshi withdrew and lay next to her, catching his breath. Saki rose on an elbow and said,  
"You're sweating"  
He gasped,  
"Who wouldn't?"


	12. Chapter 12

Feedback: _ScriptAngel_ \- Thank you for your review and your friendship. ^_^  
 _Aditi Bala_ \- I am flattered that my stories mean so much to you but I can't make empty promises. I am quite sure that I won't be writing _City Hunter_ fanfiction anymore. It would be immoral to make you believe I will. Sorry. But thank you for your feedback. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own _City Hunter_ or its characters.

* * *

 **SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE**

 **Chapter: 12**

Vicki and Diana tugged at Mayumi's sleeve. Kiriko and Hitomi stared with grinning faces. Aimi put out her cigarette, her eyes still fixed on the same person. Oblivious to all the looks, Saki stacked her books in piles on the upper story. She had a faraway smile on her face, and her gaze dissolved into the distance. Hitomi handed her a worn-out paperback,  
"The Hunchback of Notre-Dame"  
It was Rudyard Kipling's _Kim_ actually. Saki didn't bother to check and put the book on her French-to-English pile, not even looking at it. Kiriko grabbed Vicki and Diana's hands, shaking with noiseless laughter. Aimi tried to help,  
"Saki?"  
"Hm?"  
"That's not _The Hunchback of Notre-Dame_ "  
"Okay"  
She was still lost. Aimi looked back at her friends and shrugged her shoulders. Mayumi asked,  
"Was last night really that good?"  
"I'm thinking about today morning. He has such a skilled tongue"  
In her haze, Saki mentioned to her lecherous friends that she had served as breakfast for her husband that morning. She failed to mention that he had hoisted her up on their tea table and dipped his mouth in, not letting go till it was time for work. By the time Saki realized what she had let slip, her friends were laughing and shamelessly giggling. Furious at herself, Saki tried to scold them and to not blush.  
"Shut up. Stop it! Stop laughing, all of you!"  
Kiriko offered, wiping her tears of laughter,  
"We'll clam it if you share the details with us"  
"Never!", Saki frowned.  
Aimi chimed in,  
"If you don't tell us, I'll tell Tadashi and then he'll tease Onoda-san and then he'll think that you tell your friends about your sex life"  
"I don't! Aimi!"  
Mayumi winked at her,  
"Choice is yours"  
A minute was all it took for Saki to weigh the odds. She apologized to Onoda-san mentally and opened her mouth.  
"We…"  
Diana smirked,  
"We?"  
Vicki shushed her,  
"Let her talk"  
Saki bit her lip and went on,  
"Onoda-san and I… made love last night"  
Hitomi rolled her eyes,  
"Yes, we can see that. How'd it start? How'd the conversation go?"  
"It started when his fever reached 150°. I had to make him sweat"  
Aimi chuckled,  
"So you did what a good wife should do?"  
Saki glared at her but went on,  
"He was reluctant so I had to seduce him"  
"Ohhhh!", the girls echoed.  
Saki tried not to smile,  
"It was exciting, yes"  
Vicki looked rapt,  
"Did he beg you not to do it?"  
"Yes"  
They gasped in wonder. Saki couldn't stop a little laugh from escaping. Kiriko whispered,  
"You slut"  
Mayumi asked,  
"Was it good?"  
Grinning and nodding, Saki allowed a rare side of her nature to be in the spotlight,  
"Oh yeah"  
Aimi leaned back against the wall and asked,  
"What was your favorite part?"  
"The culmination"  
"Geez", Vicki said with disgust, "The culmination?"  
Saki mumbled,  
"His face"  
"What?"  
"His face, okay?", Saki groaned, "He looked so… so beautiful when he came. It was like watching an angel fall and realize the depth of his sin!"  
"Saki…"  
"It was the most erotic thing I've ever seen!"  
"Sa…"  
"I swear I'll let him do me however he wants everyday if I get to see that look on his face!"  
Aimi coughed,  
"Behind you"  
Saki looked up from the floor at her friends, who had huddled together and were standing upright against the wall. Aimi rose slowly and bowed to the one who stood behind Saki.  
"Good afternoon, Onisama"  
Saki turned around quick enough to swoon. Her husband stood looking down at her and returned Aimi's greeting.  
"Good afternoon"  
"Good afternoon, Onoda-san", Kiriko dared.  
He gave her the minutest nod, without taking his eyes off of Saki. She was ready to disappear into a rabbit hole.  
"I came early because we had to go furniture shopping"  
"I can see his chest muscles straining against the shirt", Diana whispered to Hitomi.  
Saki and Aimi exchanged a guilty look while Onoda-san pretended not to have heard that. Aimi saved the day.  
"We were just leaving", she turned to her friends, "Weren't we?"  
Vicki sighed while Mayumi nodded with a sad expression. Hitomi hugged Saki and the others followed.  
"Bye, Saki"  
"Bye, girl"  
"Bye, Saki"  
Aimi gave her a kiss on the cheek,  
"Bye"  
Saki tried to sneak out under the pretext of seeing them to the door but she was pulled back by her forearm. She wouldn't meet his eyes, so Onoda-san leaned towards her.  
"What I heard was true, I assume"  
She blushed and tried not to break into a smile. He turned her face towards him, while she smiled and closed her eyes. He placed feather-soft kisses on her eyes and on the corners of her mouth. Saki's smile grew ever deeper in anticipation of what would follow.  
"Let's go"  
She stared at him blank. _The jerk._  
"We have to buy furniture. Chop-chop"  
She grunted before stomping away,  
"Sadist"  
Tsuyoshi grinned to himself and waited.

"How about that one?"  
"Too small"  
"It's a double bed"  
"Still tiny"  
Saki turned to squint through her eyes at Mr. Onoda. So far in their furniture shopping, he had been absolutely critical and not a bit helpful. They had settled on a decorative bookshelf but the bed still seemed a dream.  
"This one looks good", he said.  
They were standing by a gigantic bed. Saki made an effort to be calm,  
"It won't even fit in our room"  
"It seems cozy"  
Saki muttered,  
"It's as if you're trying to put some distance between us on purpose"  
When she looked up at her companion again, he was found staring at her. He had super-hearing apparently.  
"We can buy a hammock and you can sleep on top of me every night for as long as I live. I won't complain. But this is about comfort. You roll and talk in your sleep. I am capable of sleeping on a single mattress but you need space"  
"What is this really about?"  
Onoda-san looked away. He paused a moment before saying,  
"What if I accidentally touch you in your sleep? You'll be startled"  
Saki almost laughed aloud. Onoda-san kept his eyes on the bed. His wife said,  
"After last night, do you really think I'd mind being 'accidentally' touched by you?"  
"I suppose not"  
Saki held his hand,  
"Let's go back to the double beds"  
They walked side by side. Saki leaned upon him a little,  
"The hammock doesn't sound too bad, you know"  
"If you want to wake up with shoulder cramps every morning"  
She let go off his hand,  
"I liked you better a minute ago. You're the craziest man I have ever met"  
"It could have been worse. You could have married me. Oh wait", he smiled, "You did"

Having decided on a solid and strong double bed, Onoda and Saki were back at home signing for its delivery. The bookshelf had to be moved upstairs. The deliverymen helped move up Saki's old bookshelves too. When they were gone, Saki and Tsuyoshi arranged her books in the shelves. Onoda-san stood before a rustic, odd bookshelf.  
"Did your grandfather make this?", he asked.  
"No. Hideyuki-san did", she didn't mind telling, "We made it together actually"  
Onoda-san nodded. Saki noticed that minute furrowing of his brow though. He tried to seem nonchalant.  
"I could help you make one too if you wanted"  
She smiled, looking at the book in her hand,  
"You don't have to compete with him"  
"I am not competing. I…"  
He shrugged and strolled towards the towering Buddha statue. Saki watched him and tried to steer the conversation.  
"It feels odd keeping my books in the temple. My grandmother would have thought it sacrilegious"  
"I am sure your God won't mind"  
Saki laughed,  
"Oh he's my God, is he? And your God is Jesus, I suppose"  
"Jesus is God's son"  
"Are we going to play My God Can Beat Your God?"  
"My God, actually my Goddess, won't agree to beat your God. She is a Buddhist"  
She shook her head at him,  
"Have you no qualms about referring to the person you have sex with as your Goddess?"  
He raised an eyebrow, an action which Saki had always found to be sexy.  
"I consider it a form of worship"  
She smiled at him dismissively, glad that he was not thinking about her ex anymore. He came to her side and examined the books at her feet.  
"Is this ' _Rebecca_ ' a horror?"  
"It's a Gothic romance. And you should say 'horror story' or 'horror novel'. Not just 'horror'"  
"Free English tuitions – it's one of the reasons I wanted to marry you. Let me see that"  
He was reading the title page of Rebecca. Saki had written her name and the date of purchase on it. She took the book from him and found his eyes looking into hers with intent.  
"I've always thought that lucky would be the man who received love letters in that hand"  
Saki blushed, more at a memory than at his words,  
"I wrote a love letter once. To Hideyuki-san"  
She gave a little laugh,  
"He lost it somehow"  
How far had she come, from being haunted by his absence to be able to smile at the memories he left behind. And it would never have been possible if it weren't for Onoda-san's steadfast love and patience. When she looked at him again, he looked like a young boy. He was looking at his hands, then at the room.  
"I won't"  
She talked to him in the gentle tone she used with her delinquent students,  
"Do you want me to write you a love letter?"  
"Yes", he looked at her face and added in a small voice, "Yes, please"  
Saki turned her back to him, put a hand on her mouth and laughed mutely. She was not surprised when Onoda-san turned her around to face him. He didn't take well to being mocked.  
"How do you say 'Let us drop everything and have sex' in English?"  
She was puzzled at this weird question,  
"Let's drop everything and have sex?"  
"Okay"  
"Tsuyoshi!"  
He had thrown her upon his shoulder and sprinted downstairs to their bedroom.

Onoda-san was pleased. He was walking out of the Presidential meeting room. Tadashi was living up to his new title much better than he had anticipated. He was still his idiot little brother, but he had truly grown.  
"Daydreaming about your wife again?"  
"Shut up", Onoda-san put a glassful of water to his mouth.  
Tadashi said,  
"Hikoro was asking when you're coming home"  
"I told you what to tell the children"  
"Come on", Tadashi sighed, "The house seems empty without you"  
"Right"  
"I am serious. And Mom is really sorry"  
"You're talking to her again?"  
"No. She told Hina"  
"She is your mother, Tadashi. You can't turn your back on her"  
"You did"  
Many a words came to his lips, but Tsuyoshi didn't utter either. He would never poison Tadashi's mind against his own mother. In a rare gesture, Onoda-san placed a hand on his stepbrother's shoulder.  
"We left because she was right. Miss Saki doesn't belong there. And where she doesn't belong, I don't either. Take care. I'll see you on Monday"  
He turned to go but halted. He had been meaning to ask that question to Tadashi.  
"Say", they were face-to-face again, "How should one talk to babies?"  
"What?"  
"Babies. Toddlers"  
Tadashi grinned,  
"You embarrassed yourself before a baby, didn't you?"  
Mr. and Mrs. Saeba's little son had waddled over to him last Sunday. Tsuyoshi was too awkward to be swept by a wave of love when the boy hugged his knees and looked up with a toothless grin. He had said _"Uh, yes. Pleasure to meet you"_ to a baby. The judgmental looks from Mr. Saeba and Miss Saki, and that nervous laugh of Mrs. Saeba – those would haunt him forever.  
"What are you supposed to say?"  
Tadashi shrugged,  
"Just tell him some of your business stories. He'll warm right up to you"  
He ducked in time from receiving a jab to his head and waved at his brother before rushing to his office. Onoda-san smiled after making sure no one was looking. He was greeted by Asano-kun before going to the elevator.  
"Onoda-sama?"  
He stopped. She handed him an envelope. He read the front. It was addressed to him.  
"This was sent here?"  
"Someone left it by the downstairs reception a while ago"  
"Thank you"  
"Good evening. Thank you for the hard work"

Onoda-san sat in the driver's seat of his Bentley, frowning at and tearing the top of the envelope. It contained a folded stationery paper. When he saw the first word, his frown was turned upside down. That long, curvy handwriting belonged to no one else.

 _"Dearest Tsuyoshi,_

 _If you only knew how my heart flutters on addressing you so! For you have truly become dearest to me. Dearest, I am grateful to find love twice in the same lifetime, and quite glad that the last of it I found in you. Though there is a tumult of rapturous emotions in my heart on being able to write to you, I suppose I must adhere to a primary rule of the epistolary and inform you of the happenings in my world._

 _Well, darling, I woke up today at the crack of dawn when the birds had just begun their morning music. I would have loved to throw the windows open and breathe in the salty, fresh air of the sea. But as it were, there was albeit a heavy head of a man upon my chest. I would have moved and gladly disrupted his sleep but the rarity of the involuntary action captured my affection. So, as you of all people know full well, I kissed that sleepy head and fell victim to an ambush which led to passionate, rhythmic and rather naughty (on your part!) love-making. And crimson are my cheeks as I say – what a start to the day._

 _Once I was at work, my dear, all thoughts of you deserted me. You know well how much teaching means to me. And yet, when the time came for me to go home, I was seized with a burning desire to run into your arms. Alas, you were not here when I arrived. However, you had scribbled a note for me which I copy verbatim here: 'Might be working late tobay. Be back by 7:00 pm'  
Woe be me to expect a half-hearted 'Love you' in there. But fear not my wrath or want. There are numerous things I want every day. I want peace, laughter, sunshine, books, fresh air, water, warmth, sleep. But I still my heart and bide my time saying,  
"Come nightfall, he shall arrive"  
And then I will want nothing more. _

_Your wearing-that-red-lingerie-Vicki-sent wife,  
Saki." _

* * *

A/N: This was the last chapter to the story and for the OC pairing. I am not sure if I will be back to writing fanfiction any soon. Thank you for all the love though. :)


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